African nationals caught with six illegal passports

Two African nationals have been charged with Unlawful Possession of Passports after they were nabbed with documents belonging to persons who are not in Belize. Nigerian national, Prince Azutory and Cameroon national, Francis Njimgoy, were charged after police searched a house last Friday which the men occupied and found the six passports. Senior Immigration Officer, Horace Guzman, told News Five today that the two accused have been in their custody since Friday made the discovery. Guzman is hoping the trial can go to court as early as this Thursday. While, no bail was offered to Azutory, Njimgov will find out his fate on Wednesday when he appears in the Magistrate’s Court. Njimgov, who came into Belize on November eighth, 2008, failed to obtain an extension to his permit when it expired in March of this year. He has additionally been charged with Failure to get Further Extension to his Visitor’s Permit. Njimgov also decided to take the rap for the Unlawful Possession of the six passports and explained to the court that he was in the process of obtaining students visa for the six African nationals. He also claimed that he did not know it was illegal to be in possession of the documents. After hearing his explanation, Magistrate Albert Hoare entered a not guilty plea for the Unlawful Possession charge, but accepted a guilty plea on the other charge. Njimgov was fined a thousand dollars to be paid forthwith in default, six months in jail. But he could not meet the fine and is tonight spending his first night as a guest at the Kolbe Foundation.