A Haitian who was arrested at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) while soliciting passengers was this morning charged with overstaying.
Thirty-nine-year-old Pierre Baptiste appeared before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan in the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts.
It is alleged that between December 29, 2018 and July 1, 2019 at Georgetown, he, being permitted to stay in Guyana from November 28, 2018 to December 28, 2018, failed to comply with conditions subject to which any permit was granted by overstaying the said period.
An unrepresented Baptiste pleaded guilty to the charge after it was read to him.
Facts presented by Police Prosecutor Gordon Mansfield stated that ranks from immigration conducted an operation at CJIA where several persons, including Baptiste, were arrested for soliciting passengers.
The court heard a search was carried out on Baptiste and a Republic of Haiti passport was found in his possession. The passport was examined by a police rank and it was discovered that he overstayed his time in Guyana.
Baptiste was then arrested and taken to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) where further investigations were conducted and ranks were able to verify that he came to Guyana legally via CJIA and was granted a one month stay. Checks were also made at the Ministry of Citizenship to see if he had applied for an extension but it was discovered that he had not. As a result, the present charge was instituted against him.
The magistrate, after listening to the facts, asked Baptiste if he wanted to say anything and, through the aid of an interpreter, he declined.
Hence, he was fined $60,000 or in default four weeks’ imprisonment. Upon paying the fine or spending the time in prison he will be deported.
