YELSON Reasus Castillo and Barquen Vallejo Fruis Hernan (no addresses given) both appeared before Magistrate Allan Wilson yesterday and pleaded guilty to individual charges of illegal entry to Guyana. They admitted that, on Friday, April 26, at Springlands, Corentyne, Berbice, they entered this country by sea and disembarked without the consent of an immigration officer.
Police Corporal Renetta Bentham, prosecuting, told the Court that the defendants are Colombian nationals and holders of passports from that country. However, they were outgoing passengers to Brazil through Lethem, Rupununi when it was observed, by an immigration officer, that they did not have any entry stamps in their travel documents.
They were, subsequently, arrested and forwarded to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) Headquarters, Eve Leary, Georgetown, for questioning.
Castillo claimed that he went to Parimaribo, Suriname, seeking asylum, because he was being threatened in Colombia and was afraid as his two older brothers had been murdered.
Castillo said he lived in Suriname for one year but wanted to return to Colombia, since his mother is gravely ill. He explained, through an interpreter, that he was on his way to his homeland, when he was apprehended.
Hernan, also speaking through an interpreter, said he is a football player and lived in Suriname for one year, too, He said he worked as a security person and indicated that he and Castillo are cousins and left for the same reason but he just wanted to return to Colombia.
Each of the duo was fined $30,000 and ordered deported after the fines are paid.
Police Corporal Renetta Bentham, prosecuting, told the Court that the defendants are Colombian nationals and holders of passports from that country. However, they were outgoing passengers to Brazil through Lethem, Rupununi when it was observed, by an immigration officer, that they did not have any entry stamps in their travel documents.
They were, subsequently, arrested and forwarded to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) Headquarters, Eve Leary, Georgetown, for questioning.
Castillo claimed that he went to Parimaribo, Suriname, seeking asylum, because he was being threatened in Colombia and was afraid as his two older brothers had been murdered.
Castillo said he lived in Suriname for one year but wanted to return to Colombia, since his mother is gravely ill. He explained, through an interpreter, that he was on his way to his homeland, when he was apprehended.
Hernan, also speaking through an interpreter, said he is a football player and lived in Suriname for one year, too, He said he worked as a security person and indicated that he and Castillo are cousins and left for the same reason but he just wanted to return to Colombia.
Each of the duo was fined $30,000 and ordered deported after the fines are paid.