Got TIPS or BREAKING NEWS? Please call 1-284-442-8000 direct/can also WhatsApp same number or Email ALL news to:newsvino@outlook.com;                               ads call 1-284-440-6666

VZ duo claims passports stolen; Overstayed 12 months in VI

- fined $1000 each
The two Venezuelans, who were placed before the Magistrate’s Court and fined $1,000 each for overstaying for nearly a year, admitted to remaining in the territory without permission from an immigration officer because a friend reportedly stole their passports. Photo: coindesk.org
ROAD TOWN, Tortola, VI- The two Venezuelans, who were placed before the Magistrate’s Court and fined $1,000 each for overstaying for nearly a year, admitted to remaining in the territory without permission from an immigration officer because a friend reportedly stole their passports.

Dannys Rodriguez Robles, 59, and Emerais Lopez Leiva, 54, pleaded guilty to the offence of ‘overstaying a landing permit’ when they appeared before Magistrate Christilyn Benjamin on Monday, October 5, 2020, via Zoom with their legal representative Mr E. Leroy Jones.

If the fines are not paid by the men forthwith, they could face two months at Her Majesty’s Prison in Balsam Ghut.

Facts

According to Crown Counsel Kael London, the men arrived legally in the territory sometime in September 2019.

When they arrived, they were staying at Maria’s By the Sea and they later moved to Anderson Hill.

London related that on September 27, 2020, members of the Royal Virgin Islands Police Force (RVIPF) received a tip that there were suspicious activities taking place at the Anderson Hill home and went to investigate at roughly 8:00am.

During the search of the residence, the defendants were met and revealed that neither had passports because a friend stole them.

The defendants then informed the police that they had overstayed in the territory.

They were subsequently arrested on suspicion of the aforementioned offence and checks with the Immigration Department confirmed they had arrived legally, but no further extension was granted by the department to them.

While in custody, the men were interviewed and they again admitted to the offence. They were then formally charged.

Successful plea

In the meantime, their attorney made a successful plea for the court to impose fines and non-custodial sentence on his clients. 

Jones said his clients pleaded guilty at the earliest opportunity, they were cooperative, remorseful and plans were already in motion to have them repatriated back to their home country, Venezuela.

“It was a very poor and honest mistake on their part,” Jones pleaded, adding that they should not be allowed to live off the taxpayer's money for any further period of time.

The offence carries a custodial sentence of up to 12 months in jail.

After listening to his plea, Magistrate Benjamin, said, while the offence is serious and very prevalent in the territory, she would impose no custodial sentence on the men.

18 Responses to “VZ duo claims passports stolen; Overstayed 12 months in VI”

  • Hmm (06/10/2020, 07:37) Like (4) Dislike (0) Reply
    Convenient...
  • Really (06/10/2020, 07:44) Like (14) Dislike (1) Reply
    LIARS, WHY WOULD A FRIEND STOLE BOTH OF THEIR PASSPORTS. Guyana is over flooded with people from Venezuela now they set their eyes on Tortola.
    • Hurry (06/10/2020, 10:49) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
      best hurry home and get them out your country
      • Jessica Rabbit (06/10/2020, 17:20) Like (2) Dislike (2) Reply
        How about the Caucasians CRIMINALS that come here and set up shop/ businesses with their BLOOD MONEY. Why are you don9 talk about getting them put.. A bunch of Cowards we are. But we want to trample down our brethren and sistrens from other Caribbean islands. I am sure the Caucasians are saying look how they continue to "FOOL THE BLIND SND BLIND THE FOOLS..WE BETTER SLEEP WITH OUR EYS OPEN CAUSE WITH THAT STATE OF MIND SOME OF US HAVE THEY WILL COME RIGHT BACK TO ENSLAVE US....AT LEAST SOME OF US...
  • Really (06/10/2020, 07:46) Like (3) Dislike (9) Reply
    They always say so especially island people when them here illegally
  • Real Talk (06/10/2020, 08:51) Like (16) Dislike (0) Reply
    If these mother's fers were in Russia them the home owner would have face the firing squad real talk but passport stolen daaaa
  • get rid ah um (06/10/2020, 09:22) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
    yeah? right!
  • born here (06/10/2020, 09:59) Like (14) Dislike (2) Reply
    Tola and the Caribbean flood with guyanese too
  • plain and simple (06/10/2020, 10:17) Like (17) Dislike (2) Reply
    Venezuela people is flooding the BVI. DON’t BE SURPRISE WHEN THE MEXICANS START SHOWING UP. The BVI is the number 1 spot in the Caribbean for illegals to migrate. They know it is very easy to smuggle into the BVI because the BVI is not as advance as other Countries.
    • jah know (07/10/2020, 07:08) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
      Blame the Government. We not as advance but we had money to advance but the high officials wanted it all for themselves instead of advancing the territory
  • Steve (06/10/2020, 11:27) Like (9) Dislike (0) Reply
    If the Judge believe their story, she is MORE STUPID than they are.
  • No Reports (06/10/2020, 11:52) Like (9) Dislike (0) Reply
    Did they report passports stolen? Stop buying BS !
  • Norris Turnbull (06/10/2020, 13:49) Like (5) Dislike (0) Reply
    “It was a very poor and honest mistake on their part,”. Oxymoron. This defense is laughable. I wonder how much money he took from them to talk this piss.
  • Na man (06/10/2020, 14:49) Like (2) Dislike (0) Reply
    That is a lie from the pit of hell my grandma say when you can hide from a thief u can't hide from a lier
  • Well Sir (06/10/2020, 17:40) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    Who lier sorry I meant lawyer defending them two buddy
  • small fry (07/10/2020, 02:52) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    it is those latinos behind the running of drugs and guns but all eye focus on the local boys
  • $1,000? (07/10/2020, 09:20) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
    Wow only a $1k fine? Thats a lot cheaper than a work permit and having to deal with certificates of good standing and a set a vex govt officials. Just overstay thats the message I see with this sentence.


Create a comment


Create a comment

Disclaimer: Virgin Islands News Online (VINO) welcomes your thoughts, feedback, views, bloggs and opinions. However, by posting a blogg you are agreeing to post comments or bloggs that are relevant to the topic, and that are not defamatory, liable, obscene, racist, abusive, sexist, anti-Semitic, threatening, hateful or an invasion of privacy. Violators may be excluded permanently from making contributions. Please view our declaimer above this article. We thank you in advance for complying with VINO's policy.

Follow Us On

Disclaimer: All comments posted on Virgin Islands News Online (VINO) are the sole views and opinions of the commentators and or bloggers and do not in anyway represent the views and opinions of the Board of Directors, Management and Staff of Virgin Islands News Online and its parent company.