The Tribune

By NICO SCAVELLA

Tribune Staff Reporter

nscavella@tribunemedia.net

TWO Jamaican cousins were fined over $1,000 each for overstaying in The Bahamas by almost a month, after having secured fake immigration time extension stamps to remain in the country.

Delano Jordan and Khalfani Robb were both fined $1,500 by Magistrate Samuel McKinney for admitting to being caught with fake immigration stamps a local friend got for them.

Immigration officials said both men were arrested at the My Three Daughters restaurant in Bimini on April 11. They were landed legally on March 1 for two weeks, and later received an extension but they did not leave the country at the specified time.

Robb told the court he and his cousin sought assistance from a local friend in securing new time extension stamps, despite knowing the correct procedure and utilising it to obtain their first extensions.

However, Robb claimed he and his cousin had no idea the stamps were fake, and only realised as much when immigration and police officers stormed the room they were in and pointed the discrepancies out to them.

Nonetheless, they both admitted it was a “stupid mistake” to have placed so much “confidence” in their friend as opposed to just securing the extensions the proper way.

Meanwhile, Trinidad & Tobago native Sudesh Sonnylal was fined $1,500 or otherwise serve three months in prison for overstaying by three months and 11 days.

Prosecutors said Sonnylal was caught on April 12 at a residence in the Grove area by Royal Bahamas Police Force (RBPF) officers. He landed legally in the in the Bahamas on December 25 of last year, but was not granted any further extensions by immigration officials.

A Haitian man, Pierre St Louis, was also fined $300 or will otherwise serve one month in prison for admitting to being caught having entered the country illegally.

According to the facts, St Louis was arrested by police officers during a traffic stop in Governor’s Harbour, Eleuthera. He was turned over to immigration officials, who, upon checking their database, found no application for legal status on St Louis’ behalf.

St Louis, meanwhile, said he doesn’t have any family in The Bahamas, and was just “dropped off” in the country. He said he was headed to the United States for university.

All four men are to be turned over to immigration authorities who will use their discretion as to whether any or all of them should remain in the country or be deported.

Immigration officers Shandeshia Marshall and Lashandawn Adderley prosecuted the matters.