Estonian languising in jail

ESTONIAN national Vaido Villem will have to undergo a special inquiry by the Immigration Department to determine if there are any immigration-related infractions against him before he can be sent back home.

Villem, who was sentenced to four years for conspiring to traffick cocaine, has spent five years and 22 days in prison.

Justice Gillian Lucky, who is monitoring Villem’s case although she sentenced him last week, facilitated immigration officials with a copy of the Estonian’s passport and his identification card to speed up the inquiry.

This is expected to be done next week Thursday. Villem, who is detained at the Immigration Detention Centre, had no complaints when he returned to court on Wednesday.

All that remains before he can return home is for the Ministry of National Security to give approval for three officers to escort Villem on the flight back to Estonia, which is required by international airlines for flights exceeding eight and a half hours.

Lucky gave immigration officials three weeks to get the necessary approval, although she was told it could take six weeks for the process to be completed. “Use the opportunity to show what can be done by your department,” she told Immigration Officer Jerome, who was also in court.

His attorneys Ravi Rajcoomar and Indarjit Seuraj said Villem is willing to pay for his airline ticket back to Estonia. Lucky has adjourned the matter to March 26 for another update.