Foreigners fined for illegal entry

Decao Yang, 22, of China, pleaded guilty before Senior Magistrate Gloria Jasmath in the San Fernando Magistrates’ Court.

He legally entered Trinidad and Tobago on September 17, 2014 and left sometime that same year, the court police prosecutor Sgt Harold Ishmael told the magistrate. However, Corporal Howard, attached to the Immigration Department, Portof- Spain, questioned Yang on January 24 at Cipero Street, San Fernando, regarding his passport.

When produced, the prosecutor said, an Immigration stamp showed that the last time he arrived in the country legally was in 2014.

It suggested therefore that Yang came to the country at a port other than a port of entry and failed to report to an Immigration Officer.

Jasmath ordered him to pay the fine within two weeks or serve six months in jail. The fine was paid one hour after by another Chinese national who arrived at the courthouse.

Guyanese national Travais Sampson, 34, pleaded guilty for having a false stamp on his passport. He too was fined $5,000 but was given a month to pay.