NA woman, 61, remanded on drug trafficking charges

A 61-year-old New Amsterdam woman was remanded to prison yesterday on charges of possession of cocaine and cannabis for drug trafficking.

Donna Charles pleaded not guilty when the two charges were read to her at the Georgetown Magi-strates’ Court 1.

Donna Charles
Donna Charles

It is alleged that on April 22, at her Lot 4 Wapping Lane residence, she had in her possession 585 grammes of cannabis for trafficking. It was also alleged that on the same day, she had in her possession 1.2 grammes of cocaine, also for trafficking.

Prosecutor Bharat Mangru told the court that anti-narcotics agents, acting on information, conducted a search at Charles’ home, where they found the drugs.

But attorney Paul Fung-A-Fat told the court that police were pursuing two men who ran into his client’s store and threw a bag into one of the barrels there.

He further related that when the police made inquiries about who the bag belonged to, one of the men stated it belonged to him. However, he said instead of charging the two men, the police arrested and charged his client instead.

Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry refused bail and transferred the case to the New Amsterdam Magistrate Court for April 27.