-but denies holding cocaine
A Lodge man, allegedly nabbed with both cocaine and marijuana in his possession, was yesterday remanded to prison after being charged with drug possession. Storm Gouveia pleaded not guilty to the possession of 1.5 g of cocaine when he appeared before Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts. He did, however, admit to having 3.25 g of cannabis when he was held.
According to Police Prosecutor Michael Grant, Gouveia was held on April 21st along Norton Street, Lodge, by police who were patrolling the area and had noticed the man looking very suspicious. When they began to follow him, the prosecutor said,
Gouveia ran and attempted to dispose of a black bag. He added that Gouveia was apprehended and the drugs that were found in the recovered bag were shown to him before he was subsequently arrested. When asked to explain himself, Gouveia told the Chief Magistrate that he was in possession of the ganja because he was “lighting up a smoke,” something he claimed he does regularly.
He, however, denied the possession of cocaine. As a result, he was fined $3,000 and ordered to perform six months of community service for the possession of the marijuana and remanded to prison until May 8th on the cocaine possession charge.
