TWO confessed “back trackers“ were each sentenced to six months imprisonment by Magistrate Sherdel Isaacs at the New Amsterdam Magistrates Court, after they confessed to leaving the shores of Guyana at Number 78 foreshore for Suriname.

In addition, Arina Francis and Deryck Persaud were fined $15,000 each and failing to pay they will have to serve 30 days and 20 days imprisonment, respectively.
Nineteen-year-old Arina Francis told the court that on September 1, 2013, she departed the Number 78 foreshore without presenting herself to an immigration officer.
However, it was whilst living in Nickerie, that Surinamese officials during a routine check realised that she was undocumented. She was arrested and thereafter handed over to their Guyanese counterparts, who instituted the illegal departure charge.
Meanwhile, 47-year-old Deryck Persaud, who resided in Parimaribo, said he too had departed from the Number 78 Village foreshore on July 12, last. However, he confessed to being the holder of a Guyana Passport, but said that he had misplaced the travel document, resulting in him being deported from the neighbouring republic.