10 illegal Haitian nationals, arrested during a raid on The Farm shantytown last Thursday, were slapped with heavy fines after pleading guilty to immigration offenses during their arraignment in the Magistrates Court on Monday.
One of the illegals pleaded not guilty and was sent to the Department of Correctional Services until he goes on trial.
Jack Pierre, Claude Calixte, Joseph Jean Baptiste, Nicla Petithomme, Lucien Francis Delia, Kasandra Felix and Estafanise Jean entered a guilty plea to an Illegal Landing charge.
They were fined $300 each. Failure to pay means they will serve 12 months at the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services (BDOCS).
Richardson Jean was also charged with Illegal Landing bur pleaded not guilty.
Livens Marc Ernst-Sy Salomon, Ifraide Esteve and Jean Rouzier Louis pleaded guilty to Overstaying and were fined between $1,200 and $1,500.
If they can’t pay, the three will be in jail for the next year.
After facing their punishment, the 11 Haitian nationals will be turned over to the Immigration Department for deportation.
A team of police, defense, customs and immigration officers swooped in on residents of The Farm in Abaco in the middle of the night, arresting residents, confiscating generators and gas tanks and closing off the access points to the shantytown.
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