Mr. Mejara, who was shot in his leg, pleaded not guilty to breaches of the Fishing Act and the Immigration Act and his now scheduled to face trial on January 27th.  Mejara, speaking through an interpreter, told the court that he was only a worker and does not know anything about the alleged breaches.

The other fisherman, Edmond Perez, who was also injured in the incident, was scheduled to appear in court yesterday but the court was told that he was currently awaiting a CT scan at the National Chest Hospital. His case was set for mention on Thursday.

Both men were among five Honduran fishermen who were arrested and charged after the JDF Coast Guard reportedly spotted them in Jamaican waters on January 7th.

Yesterday, Mr. Mejara’s attorney, Christopher Townsend, made an application for the case to be thrown out, stating that the prosecution had no evidence to link his client to the charges. But his application was refused by Resident Magistrate Lorna Shelly Williams.  He said his client should not be charged for illegal entry, as he was not the captain; moreover he said there was no port of entry or any signs telling the men that they were in Jamaican waters. In addition, he also implied that the prosecution could not prove that his client was fishing in Jamaican waters.

The other fishermen, Portilio Carrington, Godfrey Reyez, and Leocardio Albarez, were taken before the court on January 14th and fined $5,000 or 30 days each for breach of the Immigration Act and a deportation order made.

No evidence was offered against them for breach of the Fishing Act.