Venezuelan spared by magistrate

Luis Jose’ Alonzo Benitez, 34, of Venezuela, pleaded guilty before Magistrate Indira Misir- Gosine, to the charge of entering Trinidad and Tobago at a place other than a port of entry.

The magistrate heard from the police prosecutor Sergeant Krishna Bedassie, that on Friday April 26, Benitez entered the country and has been here since. However, last week Tuesday, police of the South-Western Task Force arrested him in south Trinidad and presented him to the Immigration Enforcement Unit.

The police prosecutor went on to tell Misir-Gosine that their records showed that Benitez had been in the country legally, but until June 8, 2016 when he left.

Through Spanish language interpreter Rachael Gosine, the magistrate asked him why he had opted to get into Trinidad and Tobago through an illegal port and failed to present himself to an immigration officer. Benitez said he is married and he has three daughters whose ages are 16, 15 and four. The interpreter added, “He said that he works as an administrator with the social security services in Venezuela.

The situation in my country is very hard. Ninety per cent of the people eat only twice a day. Misir- Gosine reprimanded and discharged Benitez of the charge and told him that no criminal record would be made against his name.