Eight Chinese nationals, who were deported twice at the end of last month, were yesterday ordered deported once again after they found their way back into the country.
The five men and three women were all brought before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan, who read the charge to them with the aid of a Mandarin translator. It was alleged that on September 1, at Georgetown, they each attempted to use a permit, which had not been issued by the lawful authority, the Immigration Authority of Guyana.
The eight accused pleaded guilty to the charge.
According to police prosecutor Arvin Moore, the defendants were charged on August 24 with entering Guyana illegally and were fined $20,000 each and ordered deported after they pleaded guilty to the crime. They were then handed to the Immigration Authority at Moleson Creek, where they were later deported.
However, on August 30, the accused entered Guyana again, via boat, after they would have obtained a tourist visa from the Consulate of Guyana in Suriname.
The prosecutor added that when the defendants arrived in Guyana, it was discovered that they were previously deported. As a result, the Immigration Authority, stamped the defendants’ passports with deportation orders valid for a year. They were then deported for the second time.
On September 1, acting on information received, the police carried out a raid at the Sleepin Hotel and found the defendants. When asked to produce their passports, it was found that they all had visitor visas.
Moore noted that the consulate for Guyana in Suriname was contacted and it was revealed that the defendants never applied for any visitor visas and that there were no documents to prove that visitor visas were issued to them.
Attorney Paul Fung-A-Fat, who represented the foreign nationals, requested that the court grant them leniency.
He added that his clients were previously deported but were not aware that they were not to reenter the country until after a year.
Subsequently, the Chief Magistrate fined each defendant $70,000 or a default sentence of four weeks in jail. It was also stated that the defendants are to be escorted to the nearest port of exit after the payment of their fines or the serving of their sentences.