ARTICLE - IN THE SPIRIT OF THE SEASON

HAITIAN FINED OVER DOCUMENTS
(The Tribune) - By Lamech Johnson

A HAITIAN man whose real name is unknown was fined $1,600 or faced with a four-months prison sentence after he was arraigned in Magistrate's Court (Dec. 12)in the afternoon on false document possession charges.

The penalty was handed down after Dennis Richards, defence attorney for "John Doe", asked Chief Magistrate Roger Gomez for mercy for his client "in the spirit of the season."

Doe, whose real name is unknown, even to the Department of Immigration, admitted being in possession of a fake American passport and driver's licence.

The IDs, under the fake name "Dehun Delmeus", were uncovered on Saturday, December 17, by immigration officials and later confirmed by US Immigration authorities at the Lynden Pindling International Airport.

Before sentencing, Mr Richards asked the chief magistrate to remember the season and asked for leniency for his client who, as a father of four, had little funds.

He said: "Be as lenient as possible. He's a young man without funds. In the spirit of the season, I ask that you have mercy on the defendant."

Chief Magistrate Gomez then fined the defendant $800 or two months in prison for each count.

He also recommended "early deportation."

Prior to the ruling, Immigration prosecutor Kendal Rahming told how the accused had arrived from Haiti on Flight 701 of Southern Air.

While in the Bahamas immigration hall at LPIA, the accused presented the two documents along with a completed landing card for inspection.

The electronic passport, readable by computers, was swiped to obtain information relevant to the traveller. However, no information appeared on screen.

Officers invited the defendant to an office for further inspection of the document and comparison between this and another American e-passport under ultra violet light. It was revealed that "Doe" was in possession of a false passport.

The passport, along with the driver's licence, were then confirmed as fake by US Immigration authorities. He was detained at the detention centre and later charged.

Mr Richards said his client, a father of four living in Haiti, was introduced to a man who claimed to be an attorney in the Dominican Republic.

Doe was reportedly told by the attorney that he was in the business of dealing with applications for American passports and driver's licences.

He paid $1,900 to the man and was provided with the passport.

Mr Richards said his client was told by the passport provider that he "ought not to use the passport for travelling to the United States within seven days" but was allowed to use it throughout the Caribbean. The attorney said his client "has admitted the offences and he has not wasted the court's time".