An unemployed man who claimed that a ‘doctor’ had prescribed for his use a gram of ganja four times a day as treatment for his chest cold was on Monday fined $15,000, with an alternative of twenty days imprisonment by Magistrate Adela Nagamootoo in the New Amsterdam Court.
In addition, Tarachand Deodat, 32, who confessed to being in possession of one gram of cannabis sativa will have to perform two months of community service, and afailing to do so he will be sentenced to a similar period.
Police Corporal Roberto Figueira, prosecuting, informed the court that the defendant was arrested by members of a Community Policing Group who were on mobile patrol, following a report of threatening behaviour.
At the Reliance Station where the suspect was detained, he was searched and in his left side pants pocket police found a brown paper parcel containing leaves, seeds, and stems suspected to be cannabis sativa.
In response to questions by the court, Deodat replied, “My worship, I am a sickly person. I went to the hospital and a doctor prescribed one gram of ganja four times a day. I using it for a chest cold.”
The magistrate then asked him to repeat what he had said but on the advice of members of the Bar table he opted to remain silent.
