A Venezuelan national, who was among the women held after a raid on the Diamond Hotel and Bar on George Street, Georgetown, was charged in a city court on Wednesday with entering the country illegally.
However, Maria Manchego pleaded not guilty to the charge and she was released on $20,000 bail.
The charge states that Manchego on September 20th, 2017, at Lethem, entered Guyana by crossing a land frontier and did not present herself to an immigration officer.
In pleading not guilty, Manchego stated that she had presented herself to immigration but that the officers did not want to stamp her passport.
The prosecution’s case is that on September 20th Manchego came to Guyana through Lethem by crossing a land frontier and did not present herself to an immigration officer. She was arrested last Friday, when the police conducted a raid at the Diamond Hotel and Bar. She was asked to present her passport and police then discovered that she did not have an entry stamp.
Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan placed Manchego on $20,000 bail with the condition that she report to the Criminal Investigation Department headquarters every Friday until the completion of her trial. The matter has been adjourned until February 12th, when it will be heard at the Lethem Magistrate’s Court.
