Afsar Miah, 37, a businessman of 17 Orange Street, was arraigned on a charge of employing a person not in possession of a valid work permit when he appeared before Magistrate Dale Cayetano on Tuesday.

The Immigration Department is alleging that Miah hired Mohammed Moynul Amin, a Bangladeshi national, who does not have a valid temporary work permit.

When asked to enter a plea, Miah told the court “I am guilty.”

But he desperately wanted to explain the situation to the Magistrate, after he said he was guilty. When he was allowed to speak, Miah said: “it was not me who hired him.” He was referring to his brother Mohammed Moynul Amin.

Miah explained that it was another of his brothers who had hired Amin.

After Miah’s explanation, Magistrate Cayetano entered an unequivocal not guilty plea and offered him bail of $3,000 plus one surety in the same amount.

Miah still continued to maintain that he was guilty, but the Magistrate did not entertain his assertions, as he repeated, “I’m guilty! I’m guilty!

Miah was unrepresented by an attorney and is due to return to court on February 12.