The state is set to appeal the outcome of the trial of drug trafficker Leonard Bacchus, who earned himself a suspended sentence after he admitted to trafficking nearly 150 pounds of cocaine.
Bacchus, of Block 20 Enmore/ Haslington New Scheme, East Coast Demerara, was initially charged in August 2011 with possessing 67.296 kilogrammes (148.36 pounds) of cocaine for the purpose of trafficking. On Tuesday, before Magistrate Alex Moore at the Sparendaam Magistrate’s Court, Bacchus was given a five-year suspended sentence for the offence after he surprisingly changed his plea to guilty.
Additionally, Bacchus was charged with possessing 125 12-gauge shotgun cartridges and 115 .32 rounds of ammunition without licence. He also changed his not guilty plea to both weapons charges on Tuesday and earned a two-year suspended sentence.
These suspended sentences mean that Bacchus will not spend a day in prison unless he commits an offence within that time.
Since the sentencing, disbelief has been voiced at the verdict and a police source close to the case disclosed that the sentences will be appealed.
According to the source, there is no provision in the Narcotics Act for a suspended sentence.
