Cuban vet fined $7,000

When she first appeared in court last month, Giselle Galindo Morales, 34, pleaded not guilty.

However, when she returned to the Fourth Court yesterday, she changed that plea. Morales was on $85,000 surety bail. PC Chaitramsingh of the Immigration Department of San Fernando laid the charge. Yesterday, after Morales entered a guilty plea, court prosecutor Sgt Krishna Bedassie said that on December 28, she went to the Immigration Department in San Fernando to seek an extension in this country.

She handed over her Cuban passport to an interviewing officer who, while perusing the document, observed on page four an extension stamp which appeared to be fraudulent.

Defence attorney Ainsley Lucky, who initially represented her, informed the court yesterday that he was no longer representing her. As such, Morales was without counsel yesterday. Via an interpreter, Morales told the magistrate that she was unaware the extension stamp was fraudulent.

The Spanish-speaking foreigner added that she has no criminal records in her home-country and the court prosecutor confirmed it.

Morales had been in the country for the past ten months. Magistrate Jasmath ordered the fine be paid within two weeks failing which, Morales will serve six months in the Women’s Prison with hard labour.