The Tribune

By LEANDRA ROLLE

Tribune Staff Reporter

lrolle@tribunemedia.net

A PERUVIAN man was yesterday fined $3,000 after he admitted to overstaying in the country for over four years.

Eddye Juan Maica Panana, 54, was among several men who were charged in Magistrate’s Court yesterday with either illegal landing or overstaying.

He was arrested on November 4 after officers found him at a residence on Warren Street.

According to the facts read in this case, officers were acting on intelligence when they went to the home where Panana was staying.

Upon arrival, officers met a woman who they informed that a search would be conducted.

While searching the residence, they found Panana lying on the bed. He later gave them his passport upon their request.

A check of the passport revealed that he had entered the country on May 5, 2018 and was given permission to stay for three weeks.

However, he ended up overstaying by four years, five months and ten days.

During his hearing before Magistrate Kendra Kelly, Panana admitted the offence.

When asked his reasons for overstaying, the 55-year-old said he was visiting family and was trying to find an opportunity for work.

He also apologised for his actions.

As a result, he was fined $3,000 or one year in prison.

After paying the fine, Panana will be handed over to immigration authorities for deportation.

Also appearing in court was Haitian national Elisson Fleureus who overstayed his time in the country by more than a month.

Police arrested the 39-year-old in Great Harbour Cay, Berry Islands on November 2.

Officers said they were on routine patrol when they observed Fleureus leaving a residence in the area.

He was stopped and while being questioned by police, he admitted to entering the country in August and being employed with a local construction company as a painter from September.

Further checks revealed that he was admitted into The Bahamas for a month, but overstayed his time by a month and seven days.

When asked why he overstayed in the country, Fleureus told the court he had planned to return home as scheduled but said “problems” in Haiti prevented him from doing so.

Asked to elaborate on what those problems were, he claimed that airports in Haiti were not operational at the time.

However, he was reminded that he still should have followed the law and applied for an extension.

“I was not aware,” he replied through an interpreter.

As a result, Magistrate Kelly fined him $1,000 or three months in prison and ordered that he be transferred to immigration officers for deportation.

In a separate arraignment, Wilbenson Desir, 20, was fined $500 after being charged with overstaying.

Officers said they took Desir in custody on November 3 after he arrived in Andros on a plane from New Providence.

While conducting status checks of the passengers on board, police discovered that Desir arrived in the country October 18 for one week and overstayed by nine days.

When given the chance to speak in court, the 20-year-old claimed he overstayed because he was unwell to travel on the date of his scheduled return.

Asked why he was in Andros, he told the court he was going to visit a cousin to assist him with his health.

Desir was subsequently convicted and fined $500 or one month behind bars.

Tonton Pierre, 25, also appeared before Magistrate Kelly, but on charges of illegal landing.

Pierre was taken into custody November 4 after he could not provide police with the proper legal documentation.

While in custody, he told immigration officers that he arrived in the country last August by boat.

After admitting to the offence, he was fined $300 or six months in jail. Upon paying the fine, he will be transferred to the Immigration Department for deportation.