Court dismisses case after duo with fake visas gets ‘wrong charge’
Dominican Republic natives, Edward Jesismar Carmano Ortiz (front) and Mady Miguelina Marte Rodriguez.
Two Dominican Republic natives who were reportedly caught with fake visas and counterfeit Labour documentation at the TB Lettsome International Airport, had their matter dismissed when they appeared before Magistrate Shawn Innocent on Tuesday, October 30.
Forty-one-year-old Edward Jesismar Carmano Ortiz and 31-year-old Mady Miguelina Marte Rodriguez reportedly entered the territory on October 24 with the intention to live and work.
However, when Immigration officials took a closer look at their visas, authorities reportedly noted that the numbers on their visas were already assigned to other persons.
Further checks with the Labour Department verified that the Labour documents were not genuine.
As such, the two were arrested and subsequently charged with illegal entry.
Defence attorney Leroy Jones contested the charges in court on Tuesday; arguing that his clients should have, instead, been charged with ‘not permitted to land’ as opposed to ‘illegal entry’.
Notably, however, persons found with counterfeit paperwork are typically charged with ‘uttering forged documents’.
In light of the foregoing, Magistrate Innocent overturned the duo’s initial guilty pleas and entered ‘not guilty’ pleas on their behalf.
“It now becomes a matter for the police,” Magistrate Innocent said before dismissing the case.
The duo was then taken into police custody.
Copyright 2024 BVI News, Media Expressions Limited. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or distributed.
Jokes….lol
When is the BVI going to get it right? These people know people who know people to get to the source. Should never be let off this easy, but then again, it is the BVI.
Quoting which other blogger? That is not what I said. Never mind, I’ll go to VINO.
Then we stress-out the poor police department about crimes in our country. Sometimes I am so sorry for the harsh treatment layedout/inflicted by our community to these police officers who just trying to function within our dysfunctional society. One sad stage of affairs.
Not sure that was a good move by Leroy Jones. So the fact that the charges were wrong you made an application for the wrong charges to be upgraded and made to be an indictable offence which carries more prison time? Guess i must be dumb or stupid but I would chance the wrong charge and pay $500 dollars and go back home instead of taking a chance on an indictable offence and get years in prison. Just my opinion.
I could bet the police acted on advice from someone in the DPP’s office. Maybe the police also had the right charge but someone at the DPP change it. The people came through the proper Chanel so how the h**l it can be illegal entry
@Outlaw. The system is broken. A thorough/holistic solution needs to be look at for corrective changes to occur.
Someone not doing what they suppose to do period. Who ever advising the police with some of these bogus charges need to go back law school. How you going charge individuals who came in through proper channels but with forged documents with illegal entry. They did not enter illegal. This is hilarious let alone embarrassing for the police department.
Please can someone get it right.
It wasn’t police that charged them but Immigration.
Thanks for the info
they were charged by Immigration not Police
Luvz get off the F…n Police back. In all law enforcement department the Police works the hardest. The DPP office is to be blame. Because most Police officers are not BVislanders you all quick to jump on them. Get off their dam back. It is high time. Let the chips fall where they may but get off the Police.
Can you read? Did I blame Police for this mishap. Please go sit down and learn to read and comprehend from blogging hog wash.
If you said it’s an embassment for the police who are you blaming. You need to learn to write or read what u write properly. U fool.
When the Cavaran of illegals get to the US next week, they should send them all to the BVI.
The charge of illegal entry is broad what does the Law say. If they were at a port trying to convey to an immigration official that they are legally documented when they were not isn’t it still illegal entry technically.
Some of these Santos are doing alot of nonsense it is alleged that alot of them who are voting should not be voting.That too needs a commission of inquiry.
This is a serious crime in the US it would be a federal crime with jail time and a serious fine.
Tola don’t know how to deal with these matters. If it was me i’d fine them $5000 each plus 30 days of community labor. The BVI need a good cleaning up from road town all the way to Cane Garden Bay. Pick up all the trash long the road. That is good deal in lieu of Jail time.
By the way – I was born in Santo as you all call it. But totally against wrong doing.
One day i’ll be Magistrate- You wait till i finish my studies in the UK.
Hmm. They need the hill man back in that darn department. I’ll bet he would have gotten a conviction on the proper charges being laid. He has expert knowledge in identidying fraudulent documents. What a chance to have a qualified officer that was squandered. Seize the time.
They are hère for what, to add more poverty to the Country.