Six students arrested for living in north Cyprus without a resident permit: Three caught in betting house

Six students who were found to be residing in north Cyprus without a resident permit were detained for 3 days on court order.

The individuals, MTI, a Pakistan nationals, SCB, from Bangladesh, KKO, a Nigerian, SM, a Nigerian, AK, a Liberian and CE, a Nigerian were identified and arrested during police operations carried out between the hours of 9:00pm and 11:00pm on Wednesday June 5 across three different locations in Lefkosa.

They were taken to the Lefkosa district court on Thursday on charges of illegal residency.

The suspect MTI who was arrested while he was hitchhiking on the street, was found to have been living in north Cyprus illegally for 179 days since November 1, 2023. 

SCB was found to have been living illegally in the country for 27 days since March 30, 2024.

KKO who was found in Küçük Kaymaklı, was determined to have been residing in the TRNC without a residence permit for 1,344 days since September 30, 2021.

SM who was detected during a check at a betting hall in Lefkosa had been residing in the TRNC without a residence permit for 424 days since January 23, 2023.

AK and CE had been residing in the TRNC for 614 days since September 30, 2022. 

Police said all three suspects caught in the betting hall came to the country as students, but could not continue school because they did not have money, and they were waiting for an amnesty.

Police stated that statements were obtained from all suspects as a result of the investigation carried out by the Lefkosia Police Department's immigration department and noted that the investigation was completed and that if the suspects were released, they would continue to commit the crime of residing in the TRNC without Permission, and requested that they be detained in the Central Prison until their cases were discussed.

AK and CE, who had the right to speak in court, said that they wanted to continue school and that they were waiting for an amnesty.

The judge ordered the suspects to be sent to prison for a period not exceeding 20 days.