Haitian admits to Illegal Entry SIX TIMES under DIFFERENT NAMES

By Wilkie Arthur

Freelance Court Reporter

#TurksandCaicos, July 27, 2023 – An unbelievable admission was revealed in the Magistrate’s Court came on Monday July 17 2023, before the Chief Magistrate, Jolyon Hatmin.

NICHOLSON JEAN, a six time undocumented Haitian national told the learned Chief Magistrate that he is guilty for the offense charged before the court which was unlawful entry. He further admitted that although in his caution interview with the authorities whilst in detention lock up, he admitted to having illegally entered the TCI three times before, having been repatriated each time, it was not the full story.  To the Chief Magistrate, Jean confessed to many more attempts to reside, undocumented, in TCI.

He said, “this time is my six time….I don’t lie here.”

The Public Prosecutor, Enjaleek Dickenson told the court they the fingerprint bureau department shows that the accused had been through the system five times already and this time makes his sixth; each time assuming a new identify or different name.

The learned Chief Magistrate read the fingerprint bureau report and listed off all his different names to him and with his head hanging down he whispered under his breath through the interpreter, “I accept”.

The 45 year old man pleaded guilty to unlawfully entering the Turks and Caicos Islands this time between the 21st to 23rd June, 2023. He told the Chief Magistrate that he has seven children all in Haiti. Four of them, under the age of 18 years old. Nicholas Jean said “we are suffering in Haiti and I came to try make a better life for us all but I see I only make it worse. Things are not well for us in Haiti. I don’t have help my wife not working. I left them suffering.”

After hearing these very emotional and moving words from the defendant through an interpreter, the learned Chief Magistrate expressed that your continuous offending attracted a longer sentence then the usual for unlawful entry.

Jean was sentenced to 13 months imprisonment.