Kittitian who overstayed nearly 20 months fined $1K, gets four months in prison
A 27-year-old St Kitts national will spend four months at Her Majesty’s Prison for overstaying in the territory for nearly 20 months.
Kris Mitcham was also slapped with a $1,000 fine for the same offence of ‘overstaying a landing permit’ between January 6, 2018, to September 4, 2019.
Mitcham was also charged with the offence of ‘giving false information to police’ and was given another fine of $350. He has up to December 9 to pay the fine or in default he would spend 30 days at the adult penitentiary.
The unrepresented fibreglass worker pleaded guilty to both offences when he appeared before Magistrate Ayanna Baptiste-DaBreo on Monday.
You had enough time to be regularized
In handing down her sentence, Magistrate DaBreo said bearing in mind that Mitcham was in the territory since 2015, he knew the process to remain in the British Virgin Islands.
“You are not new to the process. You had more than enough time to get yourself sorted,” she said.
In response to the court, Mitcham said he tried to get an employer to sponsor a work permit for him, but his efforts were futile.
He added, “it was kind of hard for me to deal with it [work permit] as I was helping my girlfriend. So that held me back. But, I was trying to seek sponsors.”
However, Magistrate DaBreo said these types of matters are taken seriously, and as such, both a fine and custodial sentence was warranted.
What the court heard happened
The court heard that members of the Royal Virgin Islands Police Force executed a search warrant for an unrelated matter at Mitcham’s residence in Chalwell Estate on Tortola.
The court heard that when he was asked to identify himself, Mitcham said his name was ‘Shannon King’ and he was subsequently arrested and brought to the Road Town-based Police Station for the same unrelated matter.
Sometime later, one of his brothers came to the station asking for him by his given name.
This then prompted a police investigation and the probe unearthed that Mitcham’s work permit had expired since 2018 and he was illegal in the territory.
He was then charged with the offences above.
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When them come here them dont want to go back home
I agree with the Judge,he knew exactly how the process works.Let that be a lesson to all of you overstayers, they are going to find you sooner or later.I would never over stay in another Country.You do that, you have to constantly be looking over your shoulder wondering if Immigration is going to pick you up.
W
I’m not from tortola,don’t over stay in no country u weren’t born there ,how must the country run without tax ,plus its a small place .I guys acting like all a u want to beat the ppl them in them country,it have rules follow the the rules that simple or leave.its time for u ppl from other country to stop it now because u know tolans couldn’t come to st Lucia,barbados or jamaica etc and break the rules and I repeat I’m not from here but fear is fear leave the ppl them let them run them country u guy too nuff.
Can’t see why he would want to overstay in BVI. St. Kitts is one of the most developed Islands in the Caribbean. St. Kitts Nice…
@Kristian to the bone
I agree with you 100%. If I was from St. Kitts no way in hell would I stay in BVI and take knock about. St. Kitts way more developed than Tortola. I am a born Tolian and live here all my life. There is no reason for our Caribbean brothers and sisters to be treated poorly, just because we spend US currency.
Because, “Forward ever….”, the US Dollar will always be the political draw to the BVI!
Those islands that you speak of does not have those types of economical luxuries. And if Im not mistaken, one Dollar USD is equivalent to EC 2.67 or .65???
And how is that any kind of comparison. You have to work three times as much and still wind up with deflated economies!
Young man, those of us with sound mathematical concepts understand your need to be here!
Why you didnt defend your reasons to stay here..
..Sigh..
All who is here illegal or over stay your time, you need to be worried or nervous. Tortola is to small to not be scoped out.
Dude you make the rest of us law abiding kittitians look bad.
Why not return home and find honest work?
Life in St. Kitts is great! You must be running from something you did here!
Why sentence him to prison for Government to house and feed him rather than just deport the man. Just don’t make any sense, someone in authority need to look into the sentencing guide line by this Magistrate.
Same thing I saying
His fine is light. He should be charged with a lot more abs so should his employer
This is f**kery. You all are the same people who be cussing Trump but yet doing worse Locking up your own black brother for 4 month for a victimless crime? It was the same people of St Kitts who pitch in to help you all during Hurricane Irma destruction. The judge sound as d…. Stupid people.
Wow, does this mean native BVI folks are just like Trump? Jailed and deported? Say it ain’t so?
Why do borders matter? Just let everyone in, and give them free healthcare and education……what’s the problem BVIers? Pony up, just like you say the “evil” Americans should do.
total hypocrites
Why arrest him and give him a criminal record now. Just deport him or give him some time to get his documents. You don’t know where you would end up and what led him there. Have a heart, we need each other with how the hurricanes are destroying our islands now. Find out why he was there and dig deeper into his situation.
lol it was hard on him because he was helping his gf lolol. That lazy thing need go look work.
help a brother from another land. erma was a shake up call to unite
Wow
So the punishment for staying here to long is to stay here longer at taxpayer expense
SMH oh BVI such a long way to go
Good Job BVI Governmen,
Now Search The Construction Jobs Site, Alp****o ETP, Club/Bars You Would Fine a lot more.