Rafal Kaldon, Josue Merin and Josue Delcine.
By DENISE MAYCOCK
Tribune Freeport Reporter
dmaycock@tribunemedia.net
TWO Haitians and a Polish national were charged with breaches of the Immigration Act in Freeport Magistrate’s Court.
Josue Delcine, 36, appeared before Magistrate Charlton Smith on a charge of illegal landing.
It is alleged the accused entered the country illegally some three years ago. He was taken into custody during a joint operation, conducted by the Royal Bahamas Police Force, along with the Customs and Immigration Departments.
Delcine could not prove his legal status in the country. Upon further investigations, officers learned he entered the Bahamas illegally by boat from Haiti, in 2016, and remained without obtaining legal status.
He pleaded guilty to the charge of illegal landing and was ordered to pay $300 or in default serve two months in prison. He paid his fine and was turned over to immigration officials for deportation.
Polish national Rafal Kaldon, 43, appeared before Deputy Chief Magistrate Debbye Ferguson on the charge of overstaying.
It is alleged that Kaldon entered the country legally from London on British Airways on December 30, 2018 and was admitted for a period of 30 days. He overstayed his visitor’s status by some three weeks.
He pleaded guilty and was ordered to pay $1,500 or in default serve one year in prison. Kaldon paid the fine and was turned over to the Immigration Department for deportation to Poland.
Also appearing before Deputy Chief Magistrate Ferguson was Haitian national Josue Merin, 28, on the charge of illegal landing. He pleaded guilty to the charge.
According to the particulars, Merin was arrested with others in waters off Grand Cay, Abaco, during a joint operation by customs and immigration officials. He and others were reportedly engaged in fishing, in breach of the Fisheries Act.
It was discovered that Merin entered the Bahamas illegally by boat from Haiti some years ago and remained in the country without obtaining legal status.
Merin was ordered to pay $300 fine or in default served one year in prison. He was also ordered to be deported to Haiti on payment of the fine or on completion of his custodial sentence.
Merin is also facing expected to face fisheries charges and was remanded pending the outcome of that matter.
Comments
mandela 5 years, 1 month ago
How is it someone comes in the country legally, overstays by 3 weeks and is fined $1500. or one year in jail, and then another comes in illegally stays for three years and found working illegally and must only pay $300. or two months in jail, wow something has to be wrong here, in the latter it is cheaper to come illegally and overstay
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