Two remanded over separate incidents of ganja trafficking

Two men who were allegedly found with cannabis in their possession for the purpose of trafficking in separate incidents in Port Kaituma were remanded to prison on Monday by Acting Chief Magistrate Melissa Robertson at the Georgetown Magistrate’s Court.
Twenty-six-year-old Charles Chan of Port Kaituma, North West District, pleaded not guilty to the charge of possession of narcotics for the purpose of trafficking.

He denied that on September 18 at Port Kaituma, North West District, he had 24 grammes of cannabis in his possession for the purpose of trafficking.

Chan’s lawyer Ronald Burch-Smith applied for bail for him on the grounds that although the quantity is sufficient for bail to be refused, it was still a small amount. He said his client had no other brushes with the law prior to this incident and he had fully cooperated with the police by providing them with his address.

The lawyer also noted that a trial for his client would not commence within a reasonable time at the Matthew’s Ridge Magistrate’s Court if the case is transferred there and this should be a special reason for his client to be granted bail.

The prosecution then stated that no special reason was presented by the defence for Chan to be granted bail.
The magistrate subsequently ordered that Chan be remanded to prison and that the matter be transferred to the Matthew’s Ridge Magistrate’s Court for November 3.

Meanwhile, Marlon Allicock, 19, of Port Kaituma was also remanded to prison when he appeared at the Georgetown Magistrate’s Court.

He pleaded not guilty to a possession of narcotics for the purpose of trafficking charge which stated that he had 95 grammes of cannabis in his possession for the purpose of trafficking on September 14, at Big Creek, Port Kaituma, North West District.
His case was transferred to the Matthew’s Ridge Magistrate’s Court for November 3.