A MOTHER of 11 is among four persons who were fined Tuesday for illegal departure from Guyana.

The woman, Collette Arthur, 43, also has to pay a $25,000 fine or spend six weeks in prison, according to the penalty imposed on her, Indal Dookarran, his brother Sundarlall and Mark Kendall by Magistrate Chandra Sohan at New Amsterdam Court.

They were convicted of having, between May 25 and October 12 last, at Number 78 foreshore, Corriverton, Corentyne, also in Berbice, departed this country, for Suriname, by a land frontier, other than a port of entry.

Arthur told the Court she had lived in the neighbouring republic for nine years but, in May, her travel document was misplaced while returning to her homeland, forcing her to go back to Suriname by the ‘back track’ (illegal migration).

She said that, wanting to be on the right side of the law, she secured other documentation from the Guyana Embassy in Paramaribo and informed the Police there, requesting an immigration stamp on it.

But the law enforcement agency ordered her to pack a bag and deported her, Arthur related.

She said six of her children are minors and she will return to Suriname where they live.