HEATHER-LYNN EVANSON
THE MAN from the Dominican Republic will get his wish to return home.
After five months in custody, first by
the Immigration Department at Grantley Adams International Airport and then at HMP Dodds, Spanish-speaking Juan Abraham Ramirez Rijo will be going to his country this weekend.
The news was relayed to the District “A” Magistrates’ Court yesterday by Immigration Officer Terry Simmons.
Rijo, 35, a construction worker, of Calle Sanchez, Casa 112, San Pedro, Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, is on remand at Dodds after he pleaded guilty to damaging an external door, two door locks and hardware, a washroom door frame and a dry wall, belonging to the airport, on March 30 this year.
Rijo’s matter was not slated for hearing yesterday, but Simmons appeared and informed the court that the Immigration Department had received the relevant documents and the next available flight to the Dominican Republic was Saturday. He would make arrangements for Rijo to be on it.
Magistrate Douglas Frederick ordered that the prisoner, who was scheduled to return on June 17, be brought to court today to hear the news. He will then be handed over to immigration for deportation.
The court had heard that Rijo and 12 other people were rescued at sea by a cruise ship last December.
It brought them to Barbados and while the families of the other rescued people helped with their return home, Rijo had no such assistance and claimed that his documentation had been lost at sea.
He was later handed over to immigration officials at the airport where he was lodged on January 5.
While detained there, there were numerous reports of his bad behaviour and at least one attempt at suicide.
On March 30, the immigration officer who took up duty was informed that the Dominican had defecated in a styrofoam container and had pushed it under the door.
He then committed the damage to the room.
DAILY
JUAN ABRAHAM RAMIREZ RIJO will be returning home this
weekend. (FP)
