Video link sought for witness in Walter Maduro case
This was disclosed in the Magistrate’s courtroom at John’s Hole today November 23, 2011 by Crown Counsel Valston Graham, who said one of the witnesses out of the jurisdiction is in protective custody and is finding it difficult to appear in court. He then requested an adjournment of which the defense had no objection to.
Magistrate Tamia Richards ordered the defendant to return to court on January 27, 2011.
Thirty-one year old Walter Maduro was granted bail in the sum of $90,000 with one signed surety when he appeared in the Magistrate’s Court on September 19, 2011. The father of two is facing five counts of using his public office for gratification and five counts of breach of trust. He was not required to plea to the offences when he had appeared before Senior Magistrate Valerie Stephens.
Mr. Maduro’s charges relate to two incidences where BVI Immigration entry stamps were placed into forged Venezuelan passports on June 5, 2010 and on June 29, 2010 at the Road Town Ferry Terminal.
He has held the post as immigration officer for the past five years.According to Senior Crown Counsel Christilyn Benjamin, Mr. Maduro’s responsibility as an Immigration Officer (IO) is to clear all vessels and passengers entering the Virgin Islands (VI).
She explained that IOs who usually clear cruise ships early mornings would take the necessary immigration stamps and paperwork home and return the stamps to the office afterwards.Mr. Maduro landed in hot water after a Colombian man and a Dominican Republic woman were arrested on July 5, 2010 at a Great Mountain residence belonging to Earl ‘Bob’ Hodge.
The duo, Denisse Del Sosa Ventura and Osman Alberto Vargas Sanchez entered the VI on forged passports. They are currently serving 18 months each for giving false information and being in possession of forged documents.
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