Rio Hotel strippers fined for overstaying in Guyana

Six Dominican women, all strippers at the popular Rio Hotel, Queenstown, were on Monday charged with overstaying in Guyana and fraud when they appeared before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan.

All six women, accompanied by a translator, appeared at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts.

Adriana Rodriquez, Yosenia Holigan, Hope Perez, Estafania Yoroko, Elizabeth Rosario and Shakira Alsantana all pleaded guilty to the charges, which stated that between May 8, 2016 and July 14, 2016 at Georgetown, they all failed to comply with the condition of their permit to stay in Guyana.

The second charge stated that the six women with intent to defraud forged an extension of stay in their Dominican passports, reporting that same was issued by the Central Immigration and Passport Office.

Police Prosecutor Deniro Jones told the Court that on April 8, 2016 via the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA), the defendants were all granted one month’s stay in Guyana.

During their stay, they were all lodged at the Rio Hotel located in Queenstown, Georgetown.

On July 14, 2016, the Prosecutor said, a raid was carried out by the Social Protection Ministry and the women were all arrested.

Upon investigation, it was discovered that the women were all in receipt of forged extensions on their passports; as such, they were all taken to the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) Headquarters.

The women pleaded guilty to the offences; however, their Attorney, Mark Waldron told the Magistrate that the women had already bought their airline tickets and would be ready to depart Guyana as soon as today.

They were all fined $20,000 each for overstaying and $30,000 each for fraud.