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Kittitian who overstayed 1 yr, 8 mths said he couldn't find a 'sponsor'

- gave police an alias after arrested for unrelated offence
Kris Mitcham, right, being escorted from the Magistrate's Court on September 9, 2019. Photo: VINO
ROAD TOWN, Tortola, VI- A St Kitts national, who unlawfully remained for one year and eight months in the territory and used an alias to police, was fined $1,350 and ordered to spend four months at Her Majesty’s Prison (HMP).

Magistrate Ayanna O. Baptiste-DaBreo handed down the sentence on Monday, September 9 at the Magistrate’s Court in John’s Hole.

Kris Mitcham, 27, pleaded guilty to the offences of ‘giving false information to police’ and ‘overstaying a landing permit’ during his first appearance before the court.

For the offence of giving false information to police, Mitcham was given a $350 fine to be paid by December 9, 2019 or 30 days in jail if he fails to do so.

Meanwhile, for ‘overstaying a landing permit’ between January 6, 2018, to September 4 2019, Mitcham was fined $1,000 and ordered to spend four months at Her Majesty’s Prison in Balsam Ghut.

If he fails to pay the $1,000 fine by December 9, 2019, he will spend an additional 60 days in prison.

‘I was trying to seek sponsors’- Mitcham

Before the sentencing, Magistrate DaBreo said Mitcham had adequate time to regularise his status in the Virgin Islands.

“You had more than enough time to get yourself sorted, you are not new to the process,” Magistrate DaBreo remarked.

Mitcham, in his attempt at mitigation, told the court that he tried and failed to secure an employer who was willing to assist him with a work permit.

Added to that, the father of a six-month-old daughter told the court that things were ‘hard'.

“So that held me back but, I was trying to seek sponsors,” he said.

Mitcham was caught when his brother visited him in the Road Town Police Station after police executed a search warrant and subsequently arrested him for an unrelated offence.

Mitcham told officers of the Royal Virgin Islands Police Force that his name was ‘Shannon King’; however, his brother used his given name – Kris Mitcham - and this raised suspicion and a subsequent probe was launched.

The unrepresented Kittitian was then slapped with the charges before the court.

14 Responses to “Kittitian who overstayed 1 yr, 8 mths said he couldn't find a 'sponsor'”

  • please (10/09/2019, 10:01) Like (12) Dislike (3) Reply
    I hope we continue to be vigilant and not allow what happen in the Bahamas to happen here. It may not happen if this government get there agenda on track. Look the thousands of illegals living in a place call the mud in the Bahamas my gosh we expatriate living here do not ever want to see it happen here. But i notice a few place in the bvi i becoming small shanty town.one example in josiahs bay close to where they originally use to fight fowl. That place have over a dozen shanties and i think the authorities need to take a closer look.And i also notice over the yrs the just come expatriate like myself want to dictate how the bvi should be run to suit us.lol
    • @ please (12/09/2019, 07:26) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
      I agree! This shanty town business isn't cutting it! Traveled to other islands and majority of them just nasty and dont have pride in their own living space atall! BVI so slack they allow them to come and turn areas into their own shanty town. When the same "expats" ready to go back home they bad talk the BVI about the same trash that THEY left behind. Smh
  • Greg (10/09/2019, 10:16) Like (18) Dislike (0) Reply
    So he overstays, knowing he had no work, proceeds to make a baby, gave a fake name, committed a crime that got him locked up in the first place. Yeah, he's a stand-up-kind of guy we really want here. A sneak, a liar and a bum.
  • GG (10/09/2019, 10:57) Like (13) Dislike (18) Reply
    Isnt this Magistrate an Island Person also. She already fine the dude.. Why jail him. Just deport him... Lord have mercy on us.
    • Looking on... (10/09/2019, 11:26) Like (16) Dislike (1) Reply
      An "Island Person" you say...hmmm. Im gonna digress from the main point but we need to stop. All of us that live in the Caribbean, unless we are from a Central American country, are Island Persons aka Islanders aka Caribbean Folk...Let's just not go there for once please.
    • JUNI (10/09/2019, 12:05) Like (14) Dislike (0) Reply
      @Wow,what does an Island person have to do with the law, you need to read and understand what you read and stop playing devils advocate. stop making excuses for these young men out here who are not taking responsibility for their mistakes.
  • yea (10/09/2019, 11:15) Like (2) Dislike (2) Reply
    yea and they blaming trump for the wall and sending dem home ha ha ha
  • Teacher (10/09/2019, 11:27) Like (7) Dislike (7) Reply
    Leave the st kitts people alone we went to st kitts back in the days
  • yes yes (10/09/2019, 13:55) Like (0) Dislike (6) Reply
    In the 60s,70s and early 80s the same born here BVIslanders we’re doing exactly what these people were doing to be able to survive in St Thomas they were smuggling like they use to call it going through the window and that is how so much tortolians ended up into St Thomas they were even doing that in to Santofomingo during the days of trojiho you hugs need to learn your history.
  • tretretrete (10/09/2019, 16:12) Like (6) Dislike (0) Reply
    Why cost the govt money to jail and feed him for 4 months? Just send him back SK one time and save the space in the jail for them BVIslanders.
  • time to stop (10/09/2019, 16:44) Like (4) Dislike (0) Reply
    Its time to stop this Island person thing. Tortola is also an Island. Dorian did not care who was Island person or who was Bahamian.
  • wowww (10/09/2019, 22:27) Like (2) Dislike (2) Reply

    Send he Island @$$ home from wasting our tax payers feeding him.

  • shan (11/09/2019, 21:42) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    He have family members living here who knew better they could have talk to him especially the Owner of Luxury Styles Sanitizing & Detailing Car Wash


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