56 V'zuelans fined for illegal entry

A TOTAL of 56 Venezuelan men and women were taken to the San Fernando magistrates’ court this week, charged with entering the country illegally.

On Monday, 24 women appeared before magistrate Indar Jagroo and pleaded guilty to arriving at an unknown beach. They failed to report to an immigration officer.

After their plea, the magistrate fined each $5,000 and gave them two months to pay. They were ordered to serve three months in jail if they failed to pay the fine.

On Tuesday, 19 men and women, all Venezuelans, were taken before Jagroo. They were remanded into custody to reappear on Thursday. They, together with 13 others, were taken before Jagroo on the same charge of entering the country illegally.

They pleaded guilty and the magistrate fined each $5,000 each or three months in jail.

The Spanish-speaking men and women, through interpreter Luz Marina Tapias de Copilah, said they could not remember which beach they had arrived at nor who facilitated their entry.

The exercise of arresting them was led by Cpl Chaitramsingh, who is attached to the Immigration Office, San Fernando.