Colombian woman fined for overstaying in Guyana

A 62-year-old Colombian National was on Friday fined $50,000 and ordered to be deported immediately for overstaying in Guyana.

Maria Medina appeared before Magistrate Judy Latchman at the Georgetown Magistrate’s Court and pleaded guilty to the charge which alleged that between July 21, 2017 and September 4, 2017 at Georgetown, she overstayed.

The elderly woman was permitted to stay in Guyana from June 21, 2017 to July 20, 2017. She arrived in Guyana at the Cheddi Jagan International on June 21, 2017 and was granted one month’s stay.

However, on September 04, 2017 police at Mabura, Region 10 stopped a route 94 minibus in which the defendant was a passenger. The woman was searched and ordered to produce her Colombian passport which purported to show that she overstayed her time in the country.

The unrepresented woman, with the aid of an interpreter, told the court that she is a cancer survivor and had two surgeries for the ailment. She begged the Magistrate not to deport her because her country is going through an economic crisis.

Magistrate Latchman however fined the elderly woman $50,000 or 14 days imprisonment after which she will be deported to Colombia immediately.