The Department advises that multiple foreign nationals were recently arraigned and convicted before the Magistrates’ Courts in New Providence for various immigration offences. Today, twelve (12) Haitian nationals appeared before Assistant Chief Magistrate Shaka Serville in Magistrate’s Court No. 4. Of this group, 11 were convicted of Overstaying, and 1 was convicted of Illegal Landing.
On March 15, nine (9) Haitian nationals and one (1) Jamaican female appeared before Assistant Chief Magistrate Kara Turnquest-Deveaux in Magistrate’s Court No. 2, where they were convicted of Overstaying.
On March 14, nineteen (19) Haitian nationals, one (1) Jamaican national, and one (1) Nigerian national appeared before Senior Magistrate Algernon Allen Sr. in Magistrate’s Court No. 1. They were convicted of various immigration offences, including Overstaying, Illegal Landing, and Knowingly Attempting to Mislead an Immigration Officer. All defendants pleaded guilty.
Fines imposed ranged from $300.00 to $3,000.00, with custodial sentences ranging from one (1)
month to one (1) year at the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services. All individuals were
ordered to be turned over to the immigration custody upon payment of fines or completion of
their sentences, for deportation.
Additionally, the Department’s Deportation and Removal Units successfully executed deportation orders for a total of eighty-five (85) foreign nationals between April 1 through April 16, detailed as follows:
Haitian nationals: 75
Jamaican nationals: 3
American nationals: 2
Cuban nationals: 2
Colombian national: 1
Dominican national: 1
Pakistani national: 1
The Department of Immigration encourages members of the public to report suspected immigration violations by contacting the hotline at 242-604-0249 or 242-604-0171/2.
