Frenchman remanded for Immigration violations

A Frenchman was remanded in custody after denying that he entered St Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG) illegally.

Jean-Noel Pané of Paris, France appeared at the Serious Offences Court before Senior Magistrate, Colin John yesterday, January 13, 2024, where he denied that on January 10, 2025 at Buccament he entered the state by boat and disembarked without the consent of an immigration officer; knowingly and wilfully allowed himself to be landed as prohibited immigrant; entered the State other than at a port of entry.

Prosecutor, Renrick Cato, informed the court that Pané, 58, is a non-national and objected to his bail in fear that Pané will leave the country if he walks free.

Cato said that even if the court seizes Pané’s passport, “nothing is stopping him from leaving”. He added that matters like these are straightforward and can be dealt with in one week.

Lawyer, Grant Connell, who represented Pané in the matter, told the court that Pané has been coming to St Vincent for the past four years, and runs a restaurant in Cumberland.

Connell added that Pané has sufficient ties to St Vincent and was previously granted $500 bail for a charge in the Kingstown Magistrate’s Court(KMC), which was later withdrawn by the Prosecution.

He said Pané has a place to live in St Vincent and is well known in society as ‘Jean the Frenchman,’ and is not a hardened criminal.

The Senior Magistrate denied Pané bail, adjourned and transferred the matter to today, January 14 at the Kingstown Magistrate’s Court.

Prosecutor Cato, noting that he was not rebutting Connell’s submissions, questioned how one would explain a non-national walking about St Vincent after illegally entering the State.

Connell said that the matter is an allegation. However, Cato remained firm that Pané should be remanded,and that confiscating passports doesn’t make sense any more, but Connell’s response was that this country no longer makes any sense.

Pané was remanded in until today’s appearance in court.