Their first appearance was before Magistrate Hazel Octave-Hamilton on a charge of trafficking in narcotics. It is alleged that on March 20, at Good Hope, Essequibo Coast, the defendants had 4kg 750g of cocaine in their possession for the purpose of trafficking.
Marks, 45, of Queenstown Village, Essequibo Coast, Okechukwu-Ozokwe, 31, and Emeka Udoye, 35, denied the charge when it was read to them.
Roger Yearwood, attorney, in his bail application for the number one accused, told the court that Marks, a taxi driver for 18 years, has a fixed place of abode and is the father of three minor children. He added that it was the first time the defendant was before the court on such charges.
On the day in question, Yearwood said that Marks was hired in his capacity as a taxi driver to transport the numbers two and three named defendants and had no knowledge of the drug. While he acknowledged that the amount found was significant he believed that according to the circumstances bail should be granted.
An appearance was entered for the numbers two and three defendant by attorney Sasha Roberts. Roberts told the court that the duo was passing through Guyana on their way to Suriname where they both work and reside.
She added that the men knew nothing about the alleged narcotics found as they were only passengers in Marks’s vehicle. Further, she said that the police pounced upon the defendants based on a woman’s belief that she saw a “Rasta guy” throw some package through the car window.
Roberts asked the number three defendant to show the court a scar on his back which was allegedly caused from a beating by the police, although he had vehemently denied knowing about the narcotics. Based on the points presented, Roberts argued that she had established special circumstances for bail to be granted.
However, Police Prosecutor Inspector Joel Ricknauth objected to bail.
He said that on the day in question, the three men were in the number one defendant’s car and when he was signalled by the police to stop; he drove away. Marks then proceeded to drop off the numbers two and three defendants.
The magistrate refused bail to all the parties and transferred the matter to Suddie Magistrate’s Court for March 29 for report and fixture.
Thereafter, the defendants made an appearance before Acting Chief Magistrate Melissa Robertson.
There, it was alleged that Marks refused to stop his car on March 20 at Aurora Public Road, Essequibo, when given the directive by a policewoman in uniform, thereby obstructing her in the performance of her duties. He pleaded not guilty to the charge and his attorney Yearwood asked for reasonable bail to be granted.
Police Prosecutor Inspector Stephen Telford said that on the day in question, the defendant was the driver of a car when it was being signalled to stop by police in uniform and he failed to comply with this directive. This, Telford said, showed his lack of respect for the police and a failure to adhere to the laws of Guyana. Subsequently, he asked for bail to be refused and cited the impending narcotics charge.
Yearwood objected to this, arguing that the court can only deal with the matter at hand and any mention of another charge would be prejudicial to the defendant.
Marks was then placed on $50,000 bail and the matter was set for return on March 29 at Suddie.
Okechukwu-Ozokwe and Udoye were charged with entering Guyana and failing to present themselves to immigration. It is alleged that on March 20 at Essequibo, they entered Guyana by crossing land and did not forthwith present themselves to the nearest immigration officer. They both pleaded guilty.
They were fined $25,000 each or 12 months imprisonment and are to be deported upon the completion of their sentence.
