Firefighter Osafo Bess, who is charged with causing the death of his common-law wife, appeared at a city court last Tuesday on a narcotics trafficking charge.
Bess, 27, appeared in the courtroom of Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan, where he was faced with the charge that on August 17th, at Mahdia, Potaro, he had possession of 43 grammes of marijuana for the purpose of trafficking.
Bess, who was represented by attorney-at-law Ronald Daniels, pleaded not guilty to the charge.
His attorney told the court that Bess was sitting at his shop in Mahdia when two men ran by to another shop situated next door. Bess, the lawyer added, then noticed police officers running after the two men. He said a police officer later came up to him, snatched his phone from his hands and then told him of the trafficking charge after showing him a bag containing what looked like the illicit substance.
According to police prosecutor Gordon Mansfield, the police officer who retrieved the narcotics said he saw Bess throw a bag when he saw the police approaching. The officer searched for the bag and then presented it to Bess, showing him the bag containing the suspected narcotic.
Bail was subsequently set at $70,000 and the matter was transferred to the Mahdia Magistrate’s Court for October 15th.
Bess was charged in May of this year with causing the death of his wife, Abidacy Klass, after he reportedly lost control of the motorbike they were travelling on along the 111 Miles Mahdia, Potaro Road. The charge states that on May 20th at 111 Miles Mahdia, Potaro Road, he rode motorcycle CH 315 in a dangerous manner, thereby causing the death of Klass.
