By NICO SCAVELLA
Tribune Staff Reporter
nscavella@tribunemedia.net
A JAMAICAN man whose fingerprints matched those of a man previously deemed an “undesirable” person by immigration officials has been sentenced to almost a year in prison for overstaying in the country.
Senior Magistrate Carolyn Vogt-Evans sentenced Michael George Sinclair aka Floyd Bartlett to eight months at the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services (BDCS) for overstaying his time in the country by four days.
Four of his fellow countrymen, namely Kevin George Smith, Dave St Aubyn Johnson, Luke Courtney Williams and Steve Anthony Earl were collectively fined $8,000 for the same offence.
According to the facts, at around 1pm on November 15, Police Corporal 3822 Butterflied and Police Constable 3566 Smith went to unit two at Trinity Apartments in Alice Town, Bimini.
While there, all five Jamaican men were arrested for immigration purposes, and subsequently handed over to Senior Immigration Officer Deron Brooks. A check of their Jamaican passports revealed they had each overstayed their respective visits in the country.
Sinclair landed legally on November 4 at Lynden Pindling International Airport (LPIA) and was granted a stay for a period of seven days. He was granted no extension but had overstayed his time in the country by four days.
Fingerprints
While being processed at the Carmichael Road Detention Centre, at which time his fingerprints were analysed by the Department of Immigration’s Automated Fingerprint Information System (AFIS), it was revealed that Sinclair’s fingerprints matched that of Floyd Bartlett, a Jamaican national who was refused entry into the country on August 31 at LPIA for being an undesirable according to Section 22 (2) G and J of the Immigration Act.
As a result of his actions and his previous antecedent, Sinclair was sentenced to eight months at BDCS.
Williams, meanwhile was landed legally on June 12 of this year at LPIA for a period of 10 days. He was granted an extension by the Department of Immigration up until August 12, but ended up overstaying for three months and three days.
He was consequently convicted and fined $3,000 or otherwise would face six months at the BDCS.
Earl was landed legally on August 3 at LPIA for a period of 14 days. He received an extension up until September 16, but overstayed his time in the country by two months.
He too was fined $3,000 with a six month custodial sentence if he defaults.
Smith was legally landed on October 26 at LPIA for 10 days, but ended up overstaying for 10 days. He was fined $1,000 for his actions, and faces a three month sentence at the BDCS if he defaults.
Johnson was legally landed on October 25 at LPIA for seven days, but ended up staying for an additional two weeks without an extension being granted.
He was consequently convicted and fined $1,000 or otherwise face three months at the BDCS.
Shandisha Marshall prosecuted the matter.
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