Couple remanded on ganja trafficking charge

A man and his girlfriend were on Tuesday remanded to prison when they appeared in a city magistrate’s court accused of ganja trafficking.

The allegation against Jermaine Stuffle and his girlfriend Marcia James is that on January 21, at Georgetown, they had 605 grammes of cannabis in their possession for the purpose of trafficking.

The jointly-charged duo pleaded not guilty to the charge when it was read by Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry.

The prosecution’s case is that on the day in question the police acted on information received and proceeded to Stuffle’s 3048 North Ruimveldt home, where they saw both defendants.

Prosecutor Michael Grant told the court that the two were informed by police of the information which they had and a subsequent search of the house was conducted which unearthed the illegal substance mentioned in the charge. According to Grant, the find was made in the defendants’ presence.

They were later told of the offence committed, arrested and charged.

The prosecution objected to the two being admitted to bail citing the seriousness and prevalence of the offence.

The couple was unrepresented by counsel.

When asked by the court their relationship to each other, Stuffle, a mason, indicated that James is his girlfriend.

The matter was transferred to Court five for February 5.