Woman on ganja trafficking charge accuses cop of framing her

Hauled before a city court on a drug trafficking charge, a woman yesterday told a magistrate that she was framed by police.

Shondel Monderson, 39, of 264 South Ruimveldt Gardens, told Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan that she was arrested by a policeman because she and his wife had a dispute. The woman said that the police took a black bag to her and arrested her for being in possession of a narcotic.

The charge against Monderson states that on January 20, at Port Kaituma, she allegedly had in her possession 37½ grammes of cannabis for trafficking. She pleaded not guilty.

According to Police Prosecutor Deniro Jones, his facts differ from what the accused is claiming. Jones said that the police, acting on information, went to Monderson’s business place. While approaching the defendant, he related, the police saw her pull out a black plastic bag and throw it over a wall. Jones said that when the police retrieved the bag and looked inside, they saw a quantity of leaves, seeds and stems, suspected to be cannabis.

Monderson, who was adamant that she was framed by the police, was refused bail and remanded to prison by the Chief Magistrate until February 7, when the matter will be called again at Matthews Ridge Magistrate’s Court.