Detained - pregnant woman and children

By AVA TURNQUEST

Tribune Chief Reporter

aturnquest@tribunemedia.net

THE pregnant wife of a Bahamian man is among six new people who have made habeas corpus applications, bringing the total number of people the state will have to justify detaining in immigration operations to 12.

Mirlene Corvil is two months pregnant and has been held at the Carmichael Road Detention Centre (CRDC) C since December 4, according to her supporting affidavit, which indicated fears of malnourishment and lack of access to prenatal care.

Another applicant is Kediesha Bent-John, who was arrested along with her 11-year-old child and both have been detained since December 8 at an immigration safe house for women and child migrants.

Yesterday, her tearful Bahamian husband Andrick John told The Tribune he has been under heavy emotional distress because he has not been able to see or hear from his wife or his adopted daughter since their arrest. Mr John, 41, said he was not allowed to produce any documentation to immigration officers at the time of their arrest.

Fanel Gassant has been in detention at the CRDC since November 29; however, supporting affidavits say he is married to a Bahamian woman and has an outstanding application for a spousal permit.

In the case of Earl Burton, a Jamaican who has been detained at the CRDC since August 15, it was claimed he was exposed to tuberculosis and it is unclear whether he has contracted the disease. As a result, he has been unable to meet with legal counsel.

Other applications are for mothers Gerna Jean Tinord and her 10-month-old infant, and Verante Mocombe and her one-year-old baby, who have been detained at an immigration safe house for women and child migrants since December 1 and 5 respectively.

The applications were filed by Crispin Hall Jr and Garth Philipe of Callenders & Co.

The affidavits, in separate matters, were all sworn by Callenders & Co law firm’s legal assistant Wislande Geffrard, who claims their imprisonment is unconstitutional and unlawful.

The applications for habeas corpus writs were filed in the Supreme Court against the attorney general, minister of immigration, director of immigration and superintendent of the CRDC.

The government will have to prove the lawfulness of the detention of all 12 in separate cases before Supreme Court Justice Gregory Hilton on December 19.

Justice Hilton has also set an injunction against the Department of Immigration to block the agency from deporting or repatriating any of those who have filed cases.

Another high-profile habeas corpus case involves Jean Rony Jean-Charles, whose whereabouts are now the subject of court proceedings.

The Supreme Court last week gave the government until December 19 to produce Mr Jean-Charles and either provide evidence justifying his detention or be held in contempt of court.

Immigration officials have said Mr Jean-Charles has been repatriated to Haiti.

Comments

John2 says...

Do you think a Bahamian would get due process in Haiti ?

Posted 15 December 2017, 1:29 p.m. Suggest removal

mangogirl01 says...

Hell no!

Posted 15 December 2017, 2:04 p.m. Suggest removal

jamaicaproud says...

You as a prosperous nation, must set higher standards than Haiti

Posted 15 December 2017, 5:36 p.m. Suggest removal

TalRussell says...

Posted 15 December 2017, 1:32 p.m. Suggest removal

mangogirl01 says...

This is ridiculious; Callenders and Co. is Fred Smith office and a number of Haitians work there. How the hell a judge can file an injunction to stop the Immigration Department from doing its job and in most of these cases, these are marriages of convenience!

Posted 15 December 2017, 2:07 p.m. Suggest removal

sheeprunner12 says...

Where was Fred Smith when the Adderley family from Long Island were begging Fweddy & the PLP to get justice for Christopher Adderley two years ago????? ......... He was detained in Haiti and when the Haitian authorities were not paid under the table, his documents were never processed and he died a broken sick young man in a Haitian detention centre ........ So tell Red Fred to STFU !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Posted 15 December 2017, 3 p.m. Suggest removal

hrysippus says...

And where were you?

Posted 16 December 2017, 10:02 a.m. Suggest removal

ThisIsOurs says...

If the mothers are illegal, send them back to Haiti with their children, if the children were born here, they can apply for citizenship, "from Haiti", at age of 18. We have to stop this foolishness.

Posted 15 December 2017, 3:08 p.m. Suggest removal

DEDDIE says...

Lady justice is not subject to emotions. We don't really care what the constitution permit or forbids with respect to foreign nationals especially Haitians yet we label ourselves nationalistic. Nationalism can not co-exist with anti-constitutional thinking. The very document that created the nation provides rights for those within its boarders. We should guard both the nation and the rights permitted within its boarders jealously.

Posted 15 December 2017, 5:35 p.m. Suggest removal

Economist says...

Well said.

Posted 15 December 2017, 10:40 p.m. Suggest removal

John2 says...

More unnecessary work for the docket load of the supreme court ! We have so much more pressing matters.to deal with ! Callenders & Co law firm’ should be ashamed of themselves.

Posted 16 December 2017, 6:01 a.m. Suggest removal

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