On today’s date, (5) Jamaicans, (2) Chinese, (2) Colombians, (2) Haitians, (1) Lithuanian and (1) Bahamian appeared in Magistrate’s Court #3 before Magistrate Rengin Johnson and were convicted of the following Immigration offences:

Homoair T. Peart, (M) 44 and Robert L. Lewis, (M) 53 of Jamaica pled guilty to Illegal Embarkation and Overstaying and were convicted on both counts. They were fined $300.00 or in default of payment serve (6) months at Bahamas Department of Correctional Services (BDCS) on count one. On count two they were fined $2,000.00 or in default of payment serve (9) months at BDCS.

Ricardo K. Stewart, (M) 43 and Shawn F. Allison, (M) 41 of St. Catherine, Jamaica pled guilty to Illegal Embarkation and were both convicted. They were fined $300.00 or in default of payment serve (6) months at BDCS.

Paul G. Murray, (M) 51 also of Jamaica pled guilty to Deceit of a Public Officer, Illegal Embarkation and Overstaying. He was convicted on all counts. Respectively, he was fined $350.00 or in default of payment serve (2) months at BDCS on count one. On count two he was fined $300.00 or in default of payment serve (6) months at BDCS. On count three he was fined $2,000.00 or in default of payment serve (9) months at BDCS.

Xiaoming Qiu, (M) 36 andXingpei Yao, (M) 47 of Fujian, China pled guilty to Illegal Embarkation and Overstaying and were convicted on both counts. They were fined$300.00 or in default of payment serve (6) months at BDCS on count one and on count two fined $2,000.00 or in default of payment serve (9) months at BDCS.

Victor G. Estrella Ramos, (M) 25 and Overth Riascos Barahona, (M) 35 of Buenaventura, Colombia pled guilty to Illegal Embarkation and Overstaying and were convicted on both counts. They were fined $300.00 or in default of payment serve (6) months at BDCS on count one. On count two they were fined $2,000.00 or in default of payment serve (9) months at BDCS.

Anitha Benoit, (F) 28 and Edna Lully, (F) 52 of Haiti pled guilty to Illegal Embarkation and Illegal Landing. They were convicted on both counts and fined $300.00 or in default of payment serve (6) months at BDCS. On count two they were fined $300.00 or in default of payment serve (6) months at BDCS.

Vaidas Ruksnaitis, (M) 36 of Lietuva, Lithuania pled guilty to Illegal Embarkation. He was convicted and fined $300.00 or in default of payment serve (6) months at BDCS.

Nathan A. Morley Jr., (M) 52 a Bahamian citizen of Freeport, Grand Bahama pled not guilty to Assisting Illegal Embarkation and the matter was adjourned to November 25th, 2019 and bail was set at $8,000.00 with one surety.

During ‘Operation Saltlife’ in conjunction with the Royal Bahamas Defence Force and Department of Immigration this group was found on board a 25-foot motor vessel in waters off West End, Grand Bahama making preparatory steps to leave The Bahamas on July 12th, 2019.

We wish to remind the general public that we are committed to carrying out the mandates of our agency to combat illegal migration, by establishing effective border control management to ensure compliance with the Statute Laws of our Country.

End.