Diamond woman fined for entering country via “backtrack”

Celina Mohamed

A Diamond Housing Scheme resident was yesterday fined by a city court, after she admitted to entering Guyana illegally.

It was alleged that Celina Mohamed, 28, on January 26, at Springlands backtrack, entered Guyana by sea and disembarked without the consent of an immigration officer.

Mohamed, of First Bridge, Diamond Housing Scheme, pleaded guilty to the crime.

Facts presented to the court by prosecutor Gordon Mansfield, stated that the defendant, a Guyanese national, left for Suriname on September 21, 2018 and was granted permission to stay in the country until March, 2019. However, on January 26, the accused returned to Guyana via the Springlands backtrack route, without going to an immigration officer. She was later arrested, told of the crime and reportedly admitted to the offence.

Asked by Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan if she wished to say anything as it related to why she committed the offence, the woman stated that she was unaware that it was a crime.

She was later fined $15,000 by the court, however, if she fails to pay the amount, she will be required to serve a default sentence of three weeks in jail.