Jamaican man ordered deported from Antigua and Barbuda in passport-stamp scam involving female Immigration officer
A Jamaican man who illegally entered Antigua and Barbuda recently was ordered deported back to his country of birth.
Today, July 4, and for the second time, the man appeared before Chief Magistrate Joanne Walsh in the St. John’s Magistrates’ Court, where the order was made following an application by the Immigration Department.
Last month, REAL News broke the story, reporting that the man appeared to have been landed here legally, but was later discovered trying to leave for Canada on a passport that was suspect.
The Jamaican man, who had previously obtained Canadian citizenship, told local officials that he had arrived here via a boat from Jamaica, and had been met by a man whom he identified as “Browne.”
He said he had spent a few days at the man’s house before being taken to Heritage Quay, where he met a woman who reportedly was an Immigration officer.
The woman reportedly took the man’s passport to her car, where she stamped the travel document and returned it to him.
However, it was not a stamp denoting entry, and the information reportedly reflected a date that was different from the man’s arrival here. It would appear that the wrong stamp was used in the effort to backdate the man’s entry.
When the man attempted to leave Antigua for Canada and his documents were checked, it was discovered that there was no stamp to indicate that he had ever been landed here via the airport or any other known port of entry.
He was detained, taken into custody and questioned. While he could not identify the Immigration officer by name, he gave a precise description of her, which someone else reportedly verified.
That officer is now on suspension as further investigations into the matter continue.
A search warrant was reportedly executed at her house; however, it was not confirmed whether anything of interest was found.
The man pleaded with the court not to deport him back to Jamaica, but to Canada. It is believed that he might be trying to evade something serious in that country.
A search warrant was reportedly executed at her house; however, it was not confirmed whether anything of interest was found.
The man pleaded with the court not to deport him back to Jamaica, but to Canada. It is believed that he might be trying to evade something serious in that country.
