(THE VINCENTIAN) — An illegal immigrant, recently held at Owia, told the Kingstown Magistrate’s Court on Monday that he was here to farm “everything”.
Appearing before Senior Magistrate Rickie Burnett, Nigel Joseph, 32, of Castries, St Lucia pleaded guilty to being a prohibited immigrant, entered the state without a passport. He also admitted entering into the state by boat other than at a port of entry, and entering the state by boat and disembarking without the consent of an immigration officer. He made the entry at Owia between August 24 and 25, 2018.
Joseph told the court it was the first time he came to St. Vincent and the Grenadines, and had friends in Bequia. He said he was a farmer and came here to farm.
“What were you going to plant?” the magistrate asked the St. Lucian, who replied, “Everything”.
Joseph said the soil here was of a better quality than that of St Lucia.
“We have enough labourers here,” the magistrate told Joseph, who insisted that he was not a labourer.
“What type of farming you were going to do?” Burnett asked.
“Everything,” Joseph again replied.
“Marijuana?” the magistrate further asked.
“Everything,” the St Lucian again replied, but added, “me nah ah tell no lie.”
Joseph was held at a house at Owia, where police had gone to execute a search warrant in respect of controlled drugs, firearms and ammunition.
He was fined $500 forthwith on each charge or three months in prison. A deportation order was also made.
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