News
Dominican Woman Prays her Way through Court; Judge Orders her Out of the Country
By Wilkie Arthur
Freelance Court Reporter
#TurksandCaicos, September 11, 2023 – You can call it the power of prayer or the effect when there appears to be a true demonstration of remorse, but today Carmen Yamil Matos Rodriquez of the Dominican Republic is back home after having been deported.
She was caught by the Immigration Department working as a cook, illegally at The Secret of Dominican Flavor Restaurant. She was held at the Detention Center in South Dock for 12 days.
Chief Magistrate(CM) Hatmin had advised the woman that she was entitled to legal representation, but for Rodriquez, her time in detention proved to nerve shattering.
Magnetic Media can report that before her name and case were called, Carmen Rodriquez was seated at the back of the courtroom with immigration officers and through Court’s Spanish interpreter, she communicated her case. The woman was extremely emotional, crying and praying to God in Spanish.
The lady, on more than one occasion was on her knees in the court (this was before the CM came out) in tears until court officials had to offer her some hot tea as she appeared so seriously broken. She declined. However, they asked
In the matter at court, the woman was arrested and detained by Immigration on August 10, 2023 while working unlawfully at on Leeward Highway, Providenciales. She told the court on August 21st, 2023 when she appeared charged with two offenses: Unlawfully engaging in gainful occupation and remaining in the Islands beyond the permitted time, that “she wasn’t really working there, she was just holding for a lady who went on vacation.”
The CM asked her if holding meant that she was working for the woman. To this, Rodriquez replied “yes”.
The Chief Magistrate informed her, “well that’s working.”
She then said, “but I wasn’t getting paid though. I was just doing her job.”
The CM asked her what job you were doing for her at the restaurant?
She said “cook, I was cooking.”
The CM asked her how long you was locked up, she said today is 12 days.
She confessed guilt to both charges and the Chief Magistrate agreed to a sentence of time served.
The lady asked “will I leave today?”
The Chief Magistrate told her that’s a matter for Immigration and outside of his control.
The lady had a grievance of her own to lodge, however, she was advised to make the case at court; it appeared to be a civil matter.
The lady having learned she was not going to do any additional sentence dropped to her knees again, crying and thanking God.