Venezuelan man jailed, women’s sentencing postponed

A VENEZUELAN man was yesterday jailed for a year for entering the country illegally.

Three Venezuelan women were remanded into custody for sentencing on February 20. They are: Hector Torres, 37, Arnarly Araujo, her sister Olianis Araujo and Aixa Da Costa. They pleaded guilty.

Through interpreter Rachael Gosein, the women told senior magistrate Cherril Anne Antoine that they came to Trinidad and left on December 28 last year. However, prosecutor PC Cleyon Seedan said there is no official record by the country’s Immigration authorities of the women re-entering the country.

Torres left on October 17, Seedan told the magistrate, but there is no record of him re-entering. Gosein said Araujo, Olianis and Da Costa came to the country on January 24 to buy food for their children, but the boat which brought them, left. Antoine commented, “The court finds it strange they came to buy food on January 24 and they have not left already. The country is having a problem with people entering the country illegally.”

Torres did not gave an explanation for his entry into the country and Antoine sentenced him to one year in jail. The magistrate said, “At this time I am not sure why he is here illegally. He has failed to make that clear.”