A woman who wanted to be with her husband was fined in Summary Court last week after pleading guilty to various charges under the Immigration Law. The woman who helped her illegally was also fined.
Jamaican national Jacqueline Johnson wanted to be with her husband, who was working in Cayman, Defence Attorney Keith Collins told the court. Johnson was told that a Caymanian, Natalia Ebanks, needed a domestic helper.
A work permit application was put in for Johnson. Later she was told that Ebanks had lost her job and was therefore unable to employ her. However, Ebanks continued to assist Johnson by putting in the permit applications for her.
Johnson did not need to work on a full-time basis because her husband was employed and supporting her, but she had the permit for convenience if she worked a day here and there.
Then Johnson became pregnant and stayed home to take care of the child. Now her husband has gone back to Jamaica, but she has had to remain here facing immigration charges, Mr. Collins said.
Defence Attorney Lloyd Samson spoke for Ebanks, now 22 and employed. He said Ebanks was doing a favour for Johnson, who had previously worked for another family member.
Ebanks was asked to assist and part of the agreement was that Johnson pay her own expenses.
Ebanks was charged with unlawfully receiving $200 from Johnson on three occasions. The money was the fee payable in respect of the work permits. She was also charged with falsely representing that she needed to employ Johnson.
When interviewed Ebanks told immigration officials that she did pay for the first permit. The second was ‘half and half’ and the third permit was paid for by Johnson’s husband.
Magistrate Grace Donalds fined her $350 on each of two charges of unlawful payment of a work permit.
Senior Crown Counsel Gail Johnson asked that charges of making false representations be allowed to lie on file because there was no wrong intention when the first permit was applied for.
In the case of defendant Jacqueline Johnson, the magistrate imposed fines totalling $800. They included $200 for overstaying, $100 each for three offences of making a false representation, $100 for failing to answer truthfully when questioned by an immigration official, and $200 for knowingly causing another person to overstay.
The last charge referred to Johnson’s baby. According to the summary of facts, she reported the birth to immigration officials. She was given three months to get him added to her permit or arrange for his departure.
Johnson said she spoke to her employer, who never got back to her about the situation, so she ignored it.
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