Accused Cuyuni River cocaine traffickers remanded

Magistrate Hazel Octive-Hamilton yesterday ordered that two men be remanded to prison when they appeared before her at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court for allegedly being found in the Cuyuni River area with a quantity of cocaine in their possession.

Yuzeshwar Hardeo and Deon Grovesnor, both 26, pleaded not guilty to the joint charge of possession of narcotics for the purpose of trafficking. They denied that on April 30, at Black Water Backdam, Cuyuni River, they had 69 grammes of cocaine in their possession for the purpose of trafficking.

Their lawyer, Euclin Gomes, applied for bail for them on the grounds that the cocaine was not found on their person. Prosecutor Joel Ricknauth, however, stated that the cocaine was found wrapped up in a plastic bag in the bush next to a camp where the defendants work. The prosecutor objected to the bail applications and requested that the duo be remanded to prison.

The magistrate then ordered that the matter be transferred to the Bartica Magistrates’ Court for May 12.

Linden Lamaison also appeared in the court on a similar charge and was remanded to prison.

He allegedly had 49.5 grammes of cocaine in his possession for the purpose of trafficking on May 2. He pleaded not guilty to the charge.

In his defence, Lamaison asked that the magistrate grant him bail on the grounds that he is the sole breadwinner of his family and his children are very young. The magistrate then informed him that he could only be granted bail in the matter if the special reasons he may highlight pertain to the offence and not him. She noted that what he had told the court does not constitute special reasons.

Prosecutor Ricknauth asked that Lamaison be remanded to prison. The magistrate subsequently ordered that the defendant return to court on May 12.