By PAVEL BAILEY
Tribune Staff Reporter
pbailey@tribunemedia.net
A HAITIAN woman sentenced to six months in prison for overstaying withdrew her appeal before the Court of Appeal yesterday after receiving a pardon from the Governor General and being repatriated.
Karen Othello had appealed her sentence before Justices of Appeal Bernard Turner, Gregory Smith and Deborah Frazier.
Her attorney, Fedner Dorestal, appeared on her behalf.
Othello was convicted of overstaying before Acting Chief Magistrate Shaka Serville on November 20, 2025, after pleading guilty with the assistance of a Creole interpreter.
In addition to the six-month prison sentence, Othello was fined $3,000 or faced a further six months in custody. She was also ordered to be repatriated after completing her sentence.
T’Shura Ambrose, chief prosecutor for the DPP and who represented the Department of Immigration, argued that the magistrate’s decision was not unduly harsh and that he was correct in his ruling.
Ms Ambrose said Othello pleaded guilty and accepted the facts of the case. She said Magistrate Serville could have sentenced her to up to two years in prison under the Immigration Act.
Ms Ambrose also submitted an affidavit from Chief Immigration Officer Andrew Gittens and asked the court to dismiss the appeal and uphold the conviction.
Mr Dorestal then sought to withdraw the appeal, saying his client had been pardoned by the Governor General and repatriated to Haiti on June 18.
Ms Ambrose produced a copy of the pardon and raised no objection to the appeal being withdrawn.
The Justices of Appeal dismissed the appeal and upheld Othello’s conviction and sentence.
Commenting has been disabled for this item.