Magistrate Hazel Octive-Hamilton at the Georgetown Magistrate’s Court yesterday remanded to prison a man who was allegedly found with a quantity of cocaine in his possession for the purpose of trafficking at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA), while she granted bail to another who allegedly had a quantity of cannabis in his possession.

Matthew Busgith

Matthew Busgith  pleaded not guilty to  a trafficking in narcotics charge which stated that he had 2 grammes of cocaine in his possession for the purpose of trafficking on April 26 at the CJIA.

The magistrate subsequently granted Prosecutor Robert Clement his request that Busgith be remanded to prison and that the matter be transferred to the Providence Magistrate’s Court for May 15.

Meanwhile, thirty-year-old Dwayne James of Lot 143 Fifth Street, Alberttown pleaded not guilty to the charge of possession of narcotics. He denied that he had 11 grammes of cannabis in his possession on April 25.

Peter Hugh, who represented James, applied for bail for him on the grounds that his client had no previous convictions or any pending matters before the court.

Dwayne James

The lawyer noted that his client had been kept in police custody for one week and he had suffered injuries at the hands of the police.

James then took off his jersey and displayed several lacerations about his body.

He said that “de police drag me on de grounds and put a gun to me head.”  He also stated that the police had cut his wrist.

The lawyer stated that legal action against the policemen responsible for this would be taken.

Prosecutor Clement made no objection  to the bail application and the magistrate subsequently granted it in the sum of $30,000. She then ordered James to return to court on August 28.