Gareth Davis Sr, STAR Writer

A Haitian teen who has been in custody since February 12, is to appear in the Port Antonio Resident Magistrate's Court on April 12 after he was charged with illegal entry.

The 16-year-old youth who fled his earthquake ravaged home in capital of Port-au-Prince, is being held at a police station.

He was transferred from the Port Antonio lock-up on February 18, six days after he was picked up by a police party in Fairy Hill.

Police sources said the youth has admitted to travelling to Jamaica by boat as recently as last year, with a group of local fishermen.

The police allege that the boy was transported to Jamaica by four fishermen, and landed at Hellshire in St Catherine but later found his way to Portland on a bus.

The police said the teen no longer has refugee status as based on his confession that privilege has been denied.

The police also said the teen confessed to visiting Jamaica on more than one occasion last year with local fishermen, who transported guns into the island.

The teen told the police that he lost all 10 of his family members, was living on the streets of Port-au-Prince hungry, cold and thirsty without the likelihood of getting any form of assistance.

He was among the more than 800 Haitians refugees, who were staying at the Winnifred Rest Home facility in 2006, but were later repatriated.