A 38-year-old Nigerian national facing allegations of escaping official immigration custody has formally rejected the charge against him, with a Barbadian court ordering his remand ahead of imminent deportation proceedings.
Dennis Ikenna Nwogbu, who lists his permanent address as Bishops Court Avenue in New Owerri, Nigeria, made his first appearance before the No. 2 District ‘A’ Magistrates’ Court this week. The charge filed against him alleges that he fled lawful detention between June 28 and 29, after being taken into custody at a secured facility operated by the Barbados Immigration Department.
When presiding Magistrate Manila Renee read the allegation aloud in court, Nwogbu entered a straightforward not guilty plea. Speaking directly to the court on his own behalf, the defendant outlined his recent travel history to the Caribbean nation. He told officials he first arrived in Barbados last December, but immigration authorities ordered his deportation just 24 hours after his arrival, instructing him to resolve outstanding documentation issues before seeking re-entry.
According to Nwogbu’s statement, he re-entered Barbados on June 28 this year with the explicit goal of filing a formal asylum claim. Following the court proceeding, Magistrate Renee granted a remand order, transferring Nwogbu to Dodds Prison to await processing. He is scheduled to be turned over to Barbados Immigration Department officials next week to carry out the deportation order. No additional details on the status of his asylum application have been released publicly as of this reporting.