In Magistrate’s Court #9 and #2 thirty nine (39) foreign nationals were arraigned before Acting Chief Magistrate Roberto Reckley and Magistrate Kara Turnquest-Deveaux respectively, for various immigration offences.
On Wednesday, 20th September 2023 in Magistrate’s Court #9 eleven (11) Ecuadorean nationals pled guilty to the charge of Overstaying and were convicted and fined $500.00 or, in default of payment, serve two months at the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services (BDOCS). On the charge of Illegal Landing one (1) Ecuadorean national pled guilty and was convicted and fined $300.00 or, in default of payment, serve one month at (BDOCS).
On Tuesday, 19th September 2023 in Magistrate’s Court #2 seven (7) Haitian nationals pled guilty to the charge of Illegal Landing and was convicted and fined $300.00 or, in default of payment, serve one month at (BDOCS). On the charge of Overstaying; twelve (12) Ecuadoreans and one (1) Dominican national pled guilty and were convicted and fined $500.00 or, in default of payment, serve three months at (BDOCS). One (1) Jamaican, one (1) Russian and four (4) Haitian nationals also pled guilty to the charge and were convicted and fined $1,000.00 or, in default of payment, serve six months at (BDOCS).
Additionally, one (1) Haitian national pled guilty to charges of 1. Possession of a Forged Document, 2. Unlawful use of a Forged Document and 3. Knowingly Attempting to Mislead an Immigration Officer; whom was convicted and fined on counts 1 and 2 $2,000.00 or, in default of payment, serve nine months at (BDOCS) and count 3 $3,000.00 or, in default of payment, serve twelve months at (BDOCS). Upon payment of all fines and completion of sentences, all migrants were ordered to be turned over to the Department of Immigration for deportation.
