By Mike Puia
Gizo
THOSE traveling in and out of the country’s common border with Papua New Guinea have been warned of ‘potentially facing charges’.
The immigration office has advised travelers to call into the office within 24 hours before crossing for PNG or on arrival in the country.
An officer within the immigration officer confirmed crossing the border without calling in their office is a breach to section 6 (1) of the immigration act.
The office made this warning following a recent arrest to a local popular musician, Sharzy.
Sharzy was arrested in Gizo by an immigration officer who is aware of the singer’s coming.
Sharzy failed to report his entry resulting in the immigration officer charging the three-time award winning musician.
The immigration office confirmed there is no proper monitoring on the border and as a result people on both sides of the border are freely moving in and out.
The office confirmed Sharzy’s case was different in that the office was aware of the trip and when Sharzy failed to show up and surrender his passport the office acted by pressing charges on him.
A spokesman for the office, who prefers to have his name withheld, said anyone who has detail of someone entering or leaving the country through the border without reporting to their office can provide the office with such information and the immigration office can act on.
This enables the office to produce solid evidence that warrant an arrest by the police.
