Venezuelan fined for illegal entry

Angel Francisco Bobart Millan, 25, of Tucupita was arrested at a Guest House in Point Fortin last week Sunday. He appeared before Magistrate Brambhanan Dubay yesterday charged with entering Trinidad at a place, other than a port of entry and failing to report to an Immigration Officer.

He pleaded guilty to the charge through Spanish language interpreter Rachael Gosine. Court prosecutor PC Cleyon Seedan told Magistrate Dubay that at about 2 pm last week Sunday, Millan was held at the Guest House and could not account for how he arrived in the country, except that he arrived on a beach. Dubay fined Millan $3,000 which he ordered to pay in 14 days. The magistrate told Gosine to ask Millan how he intends to pay.

Police Constable Hema Singh who is assigned to the Immigration Office, San Fernando, laid the charge and consulted with the prosecutor. Millan spoke to Gosine in Spanish and the latter told the magistrate that the defendant had said that his uncle would pay the fine. Seedan told the magistrate that he had been informed that the uncle also a national of Venezuela, has been arrested and was due to be charged. The magistrate warned Millan that if the fine is not paid, he would have to serve three months in prison with hard labour.