Housewife remanded over ganja trafficking at Port Kaituma

A housewife accused by the police of trafficking in a quantity of narcotics was yesterday remanded to prison after appearing before acting Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry.

It is alleged that on March 19 at Port Kaituma Water Front, Denise Fortune had in her possession 416 grammes of cannabis for the purpose of trafficking.

The woman denied the charge after being arraigned at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court.
Prosecutor Stephen Telford in presenting the facts of the case told the court that on the day in question, police were on patrol at the Water Front area when they noticed the accused acting in a suspicious manner.

According to Telford, this prompted the ranks to conduct a search of a handbag the woman was carrying and the illegal substance was found.

The prosecutor said the search was conducted in the woman’s presence after which the suspected cannabis was weighed at the police station and it amounted to the quantity stated in the charge.
Fortune was later told of the allegation, arrested and charged.

The prosecution then made a successful application for the accused to be denied her pre-trial liberty.
Her matter was subsequently transferred to the Matthew’s Ridge Magistrates’ Court for May 3.