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by pltm
(PLTM) - Little Dix Hill resident, Tambu Frett, 37, told the court that he is not a bad person, when he broke the law to assist a friend by smuggling US Virgin Islands resident Bryan Bolan into the Territory on Friday, April 3 even though the borders are closed due to COVID-19.
"I try my best to be as good as I can be. It was a friend of a friend who told me that he needed to come over. My friend needed help. I know I was wrong… I promise you will not see me in this kind of place again,” Freet told the court hearing which was streamed over Zoom.
Frett pleaded guilty to the offences of Breach of Curfew, Illegal Entry and Smuggling when he made his first appearance before the court on Monday before Senior Magistrate Tamia Richards.
Meanwhile his co-accused, Bolan, also pleaded guilty to Breach of Curfew and Illegal Entry.
Facts Of The Case
According to Acting Director of Public Prosecution Tiffany Scatliffe-Esprit, on April 3, sometime after 2 pm, the Royal Virgin Islands Police Force (RVIPF) received a tip and accordingly set up surveillance at various points around the island.
At about 4:00 pm the police officers witnessed a rubber dinghy leaving the Baughers Bay marina dock with a sole occupant, later identified as Frett.
The boat was seen heading towards Peter Island, and then it headed towards Norman Island and St. John, USVI.
It was seen disappearing around St John and the officers who were waiting in the channel between St John and Flanagan Island, pursued it and signalled it to stop, but the captain did not comply.
The police officers gave chase and cornered the vessel which was at the time transporting the two men close to the Pirate Bight on Norman Island.
A search was conducted, and police found $5,700 in Frett’s backpack and $6, 020 in Bolan’s pant pocket. The men were then placed under arrest and taken to the Police Marine Base and later to the Road Town Police Station.
Interviews
The Acting DPP stated that one of the stories given to police from Frett was that he was bored and he went liming on Jost Van Dyke when he met Bolan and agreed to give him a ride to Tortola on his dinghy.
However, when he was asked if anyone could verify his claim, he stopped speaking to the police.
Frett also said he was in search of drifting dinghies and went around the two islands in the USVI.
When Bolan was interviewed, he said he was in the territory from March 12, but the immigration stamp in his passport revealed that he came into the BVI on the 12th and was given up till March 16 to remain and he had not been back since that time legally.
Bolan said he had a 'Spanish girlfriend' in Greenland who was pregnant. When she was interviewed, she admitted that he was not in the BVI before April 3 and it was because of her insistence that he came to the Territory because she did not want to spend the lockdown alone.
“I want to say I am sorry for what I did,” Bolan said in open court.
“I just wanted to get to the house to be with her for the 14 days. I’m sorry, and I beg for your mercy,” Bolan said.
Scatliffe-Esprit is seeking the maximum fine allotted for the offences, and in the case of Bolan, she wants him sent back to the USVI immediately.
Their matter was adjourned for sentencing today, April 7.
Attorney Stacy Abel represents Bolan, and Attorney Leroy Jones represents Frett.
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