The Tribune

By DENISE MAYCOCK

Tribune Freeport Reporter

dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

TWO Ecuadorians who admitted to coming to The Bahamas to be smuggled to the US were arraigned on Tuesday in the Freeport Magistrate’s Court for being in breach of the Immigration Act.

Nancy Viviana Alvarez Jimenez, 21, and Luis Fernando Chuya Tinizhanay, 21, appeared before Deputy Chief Magistrate Debbye Ferguson. They were charged with overstaying.

The pair pleaded guilty. According to the particulars, Jimenez and Tinizhanay were found in Freeport after the expiration of a seven-day stay granted them by an immigration officer on February 21.

They both admitted to the judge that they were making preparatory steps to be smuggled to the US.

Deputy Chief Magistrate Ferguson ordered them to each pay a fine of $3,000 or in default serve two years in prison.

On paying their fine or serving their custodial sentence, the Ecuadorians will be deported to their country of origin.

Meanwhile, a Guyanese man was arraigned on Monday for breach of the Immigration Act.

Mark Henry, 45, appeared before Magistrate Charlton Smith where he was charged with overstaying.

Henry, who was represented by Rufus Allen, pleaded guilty to the charge. According to the particulars, on Friday, March 25, Henry was found in Freeport after the expiration of a 14-day stay granted to him by an immigration officer on November 5, 2017.

He claimed to have entered the Bahamas legally after the passing of Hurricane Matthew in 2016 and remained in the country without extending his visitor’s status or seeking to regulate his status.

Magistrate Smith ordered Henry to pay a fine of $2,000 or in default serve four months in prison. Henry paid the fine and was handed over to the Immigration Department for deportation to Guyana.