CHARLESTOWN, Nevis - TWO men of the Commonwealth of Dominica were on Tuesday (Feb. 1) convicted and jailed for a number of Immigration-related offences.
The two men, according to a police report, are 57-year-old Wensley George and 59-year-old Brian Etienne.
George was convicted and sentenced to two years imprisonment for Illegal Entry at a Port that is not a Formal Port of Entry. He was also convicted and sentenced to serve two years in prison for Allowing Persons to Disembark Without the Consent of an Immigration Office.
His sentences are to run onsequtively.
He was further convicted and cautioned for Disembarking Without the Consent of an Immigration Officer.
Etienne was convicted and sentenced to two years imprisonment for Illegal Entry at a Port that is not a Formal Port of Entry.
He was also convicted and sentenced to two years imprisonment for Allowing Persons to Disembark Without the Consent of an Immigration Officer.
He, too, was convicted and cautioned for Disembarking Without the Consent of an Immigration Officer, but unlike George, his sentences are to run concurrently.
Their convictions and sentences stemmed from the illegal entry of 21 Haitian nationals into the Federation on Sunday (Jan. 2).
Police had stated that had entered the Federation via Nevis on a vessel that ran aground at Bath Village.
Later on the same day, 17 of them - 11 males, four females and two juveniles - were taken into custody and were in quarantine.
The vessel in which they came bore no name and was seized by the authorities.
Police also stated that following an operation conducted at a home in Nelson’s Spring on the following day, an additional seven persons were also taken into custody and placed in quarantine.
Among the seven persons, two were said to be currently residing in the Federation.
A further report stated that George and Etienne were charged on January 12, and that the latter was caught at the airport attempting to flee the country.
Also charged on that day were Haitian nationals Datus Gregoire and Vincent Wendy-Darlene, both of whom reside in McKnight. They were charged for Harbouring Illegal Immigrants.
Gregoire was granted bail on that said day in the sum of $5,000 with two sureties for his appearance at the Charlestown Magistrate Court on Tuesday (Jan, 18), while Wendy-Darlene had remained in police custody.
Gregoire, Wendy-Darlene, and Claxton were apprehended following an operation conducted on a house at Old Hospital Road, Nevis, at which a small group of illegal immigrants were found.
Walters, who was present at the time, fled the scene, but was later captured by the police.
On Saturday (Jan, 8), Emmett Bart of Sprott Street was charged for Harbouring a Fugitive and has since been remanded at Her Majesty’s Prison.
On the previous day, Rudolph Claxton of Craddock Road and Leroy Walters of Government Road were charged for Harbouring Illegal Immigrants.
Both of them were bailed later that day in the sum of $10,000 with two sureties and they were to appear at the Charlestown Magistrate Court on Wednesday (Jan. 11).
Gregoire, Wendy-Darlene, and Claxton were apprehended following an operation conducted on a house at Old Hospital Road, Nevis, at which a small group of illegal immigrants were found.
Walters, who was present at the time, fled the scene, but was later captured by the police.
Reportedly, the 21 illegal Haitian immigrants have since been repatriated to their homeland.
