Jasmine Hartin, Detained at Border, Pays Fine, Released
Jasmine Hartin
The roller-coaster ride that Jasmine Hartin has been on for the past few years seems to still be a part of her life. A week ago, the Supreme Court handed down a seventy-five-thousand-dollar fine and three hundred hours community service to Hartin for the manslaughter of Superintendent of Police, Henry Jemmoth. It was a straightforward sentence and we’d have thought that all’s well that ends well – if Hartin pays the fine, she’s free to leave. On Tuesday, Hartin was detained by immigration personnel after she allegedly tried to leave Belize on the strength of a Canadian-issued travel document, without paying the fine. Commissioner of Police, Chester Williams explained to reporters how it transpired.
Chester Williams
Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police
“She appeared at the northern border with a declaration and a temporary travel document issued by the Canadian Embassy, I believe in Guatemala. In the declaration that she had submitted, she stated that she had paid in full the money that a court had ordered for her to pay following her conviction in respect to the manslaughter by negligence charge relating to the death of Superintendent Jemmoth. Contact was made with the Registrar of the Supreme Court, who confirmed that no money was paid to the court and based on that, Immigration notified the police and we took her into our custody. So we’re investigating her now with a view to see if charges can be made against her for making a false declaration. Based again on what the attorney had in the declaration, she needed to pay at least $25,000 in order for her to receive back her passport and be able again to travel. I find it very strange that the Embassy in Canada is going to issue a travel document to someone who supposedly had a passport. I am curious to know what was the explanation she gave them that would have prompted them to give her a temporary travel document. You would have to basically say to your embassy that you have lost your passport or someone stole it for you to be given such document. So I don’t know what she told them, but I am sure that had she told the embassy that her passport was being held as a result of a case before the court that had concluded and that she needed to pay certain fine before she got the passport, they would not have issued that temporary document.”
Late this evening, Commissioner Williams informed the media that having conducted the investigation, and having looked at the court order and the statements recorded, there was insufficient evidence to prosecute Hartin for any offense, especially since the entire fine has been paid. The Commissioner continued that while there were some discrepancies with the declaration that Hartin presented at the border, it was clear that she was acting on the advice of her attorney, who she had all reason to believe. Hence, the police have released her.
