SEVENTY-TWO foreign nationals were charged in the Magistrate’s Court yesterday for various immigration infractions, the Department of Immigration said.
They all appeared before Magistrate Algernon Allen, Jr.
Thirty-two Cubans were convicted of illegal landing. Two of them were sentenced to four months in the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services while 30 of them were conditionally discharged and released to the Department of Immigration to be deported.
Forty Haitians were convicted of illegal landing. Two received custodial sentences of three months at BDCS, and 37 were conditionally discharged and released to the department to be deported. In addition to the charge of illegal landing, one Haitian man was also convicted of knowingly attempting to mislead an immigration officer and subsequently sentenced to six months at BDCS on each count. The sentences are to run concurrently.
Three Haitians were also charged with overstaying. Two pleaded guilty and were convicted. They were fined $2,000 or, in default of payment, will serve six months at BDCS. They were conditionally discharged.
One Haitian woman pleaded not guilty and the matter was adjourned to a later date. Upon payment of fines, completion of sentences, and discharge, all persons were ordered to be turned over to the Department of Immigration for deportation.
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