Mining company official accused of ganja trafficking

A mining company official was yesterday remanded to prison after he appeared in a city court on a charge that he was found with almost a kilo of cannabis.

Shawn Nurse, 32, of La Parfaite Harmonie, West Bank Demerara, pleaded not guilty to the charge of possession of narcotics for trafficking when it was read to him by Magistrate Ann McLennan at the Georgetown Magistrate’s Court 2.

It is alleged that Nurse, the General Manager of BJ’s Mining Company, had 901 grammes of cannabis for trafficking on October 8th at Mackenzie, Linden.

According to the prosecution’s case against Nurse, ranks conducted a search on a bus at the Mackenzie Police Station compound and all the passengers, including Nurse, were asked to take possession of their belongings.

During this period, Nurse allegedly claimed ownership of the bag containing the cannabis.

A search was then conducted and the drug was discovered.

Attorney Jad Vasconcellos, who represented Nurse, told the court that his client was in a Route 72 minibus along with other persons and the bag which was searched did not belong to him and did not even contain anything linking him to it.

Prosecutor Deniro Jones objected to bail and told the court there was special reason raised by the defence counsel for it to be granted.

As a result, Nurse was refused bail and the case was adjourned to October 28th, when it will be called at the Linden Magistrate’s Court.