Local News

Three Haitian nationals have been charged with immigration offences.

They are Wilner Celeson, Dieuleils Florent and Sillon Oriental. Celeson was charged with the unlawful possession of 6 Haitian passports while Florent was charged with the unlawful possession of four Haitian passports. Oriental was charged with failure to produce a visitor’s permit.

Oriental pleaded guilty to the charge when he appeared in court yesterday.  Senior Magistrate Sharon Fraser fined him $1,000.00 and ordered him to pay forthwith. If he defaults on payment he will serve six months.

Celeson and Florent were brought to court but they will not be arraigned on the charges until today because the court books had to be adjusted so that the charge can be made out separately.

The incident occurred on Monday, October 8. The police raided a house on Tibruce Street and found the three Haitians there. The police also found 10 passports with the names of Haitians nationals on them who Celeson and Florent could not give account of. Both Celeson and Florent have permanent resident status in Belize.

Oriental arrived in Belize on September 27, 2012 via Phillip Goldson International Airport. He was given a visitor’s permit to stay in Belize until February 26, 2013 but he did not have his passport with the permit in it when the police found him at the house.