A Nigerian national was remanded on a charge of escaping from lawful custody and fined $30,000 for illegal entry into Guyana when he appeared before Principal Magistrate Melissa Robertson-Ogle in the Georgetown Magistrate’s Court yesterday.

Udohi Ambrose, 38, allegedly entered Guyana by sea on February 14 and did not present himself to an immigration officer. He was found in the Rupununi and taken into police custody.

When he was taken to the Central Immigration and Passport Office on February 16 he allegedly escaped from the police officers. Ambrose pleaded guilty to illegal entry but not guilty to escaping lawful custody.

Attorney Adrian Thompson representing Ambrose said that his client is also an attorney and was in transit to Trinidad from Brazil were he is expected for a law course. Thompson said that his client did not really escape from lawful custody but thought that the officials at the Immigration Office were satisfied with his statements. Thompson said it was a case of a simple misunderstanding and asked that Ambrose be fined and deported immediately.

Police prosecutor Sherwin Mathews had a different story. He said that Ambrose had indeed escaped from custody on February 16 and was found on Durban Street on March 3. He also said that the accused had no documents to prove that he was travelling anywhere.

He objected to bail since the accused has no fixed place of abode and said that Ambrose needs to stand trial on the escape charge. The magistrate ruled in favour of the prosecution and Ambrose has to return to court next Friday.