Nigerian fined for illegal entry

Chukwanoso Fabian Chigata, appeared in the First Court and pleaded guilty to the charge.

Court prosecutor Cleydon Seedan told the court that on October 26, at about 3 pm, officers of the Fyzabad Police Station detained the foreigner during a roadblock exercise. They subsequently handed him over to the Immigration Department and investigations revealed that Chigata entered Trinidad illegally in August at an unknown beach.

WPC Hema Singh of the Immigration Department, San Fernando laid the charge.

Unrepresented by counsel yesterday, Chigata told the court only that his “family needs help” and admitted that he entered Trinidad illegally.

“You cannot come into a country just so. That is not how it works,” Forde-John said.

Forde-John fined Chigata $8,000 to be paid in 30 days, failing which he will serve 30 months in jail.