St Catherine court relaxes bail rule for pregnant Haitian accused in entry case

A Haitian national accused of entering Jamaica unlawfully is to return before the St Catherine Parish Court on December 1, when the court is expected to decide how her matter will proceed after awaiting further guidance from immigration officials.

Sophonie Guersaint-Gordon, who has since married while out on bail, was before Acting Senior Parish Court Judge Janelle Nelson-Gayle on Friday.

Her attorney, Dr Marcus Goffe, told the judge that there had been a change in his client’s personal circumstances.

“Your Honour, she is now Mrs Gordon, as the two got married yesterday,” Goffe said.

Nelson-Gayle offered congratulations to Guersaint-Gordon and urged her to “wear the ring proudly.” The accused then showed the court her wedding band.

The hearing could not move ahead as expected because the court was told that an urgent development had kept representatives of the Passport, Immigration and Citizenship Agency from attending.

Goffe also advised that papers had been lodged in the Supreme Court asking for the proceedings to be stayed while another legal issue is addressed.

The judge said the case could not be wrapped up without input from PICA and adjourned the matter until December 1 for a decision.

The court also heard that Guersaint-Gordon is well advanced in pregnancy and is expected to deliver her baby by June 12.

Because of that, the judge varied her bail terms, removing the obligation for her to check in at the police station every day until September 2026, about three months after the expected birth. Her bail, set at $1 million, remains unchanged.

The allegations are that in November 2025, Guersaint-Gordon was held by authorities after she went to a health facility in Greater Portmore, St Catherine, for medical checks.

Investigators reportedly later determined that she was a Haitian citizen who had come into Jamaica illegally and subsequently became pregnant.