A labourer was yesterday remanded to prison after he was charged with the illegal possession of 22 pounds of cannabis, which police say he admitted was his.
Seon Bartholomew stood in the courtroom of acting Chief Magistrate Sherdel Isaacs-Marcus, who read the charge to him in Georgetown.
It is alleged that Bartholomew, 45, on January 9th, 2019, at Lyng Street, had 10,387 grammes (equivalent to 22.8 pounds) of cannabis for trafficking in his possession. Bartholomew, of Lot 35 Lyng Street, Georgetown, denied the charge.
Police prosecutor Adduni Inniss later objected to the accused being granted bail based on the nature, gravity and seriousness of the crime.
According to the prosecutor, when the police went to the premises they met two persons in the yard who claimed that they were just visitors. The police then contacted Bartholomew, who also told the police that the persons were visitors and that the narcotics that were found belonged to him. As a result, he was arrested and charged for the crime.
Attorney Damian Da Silva, who represented Bartholomew, told the court a different story. According to the attorney, the statement allegedly made by his client was obtained by trickery. Da Silva added that the narcotics were not found on his client; he said they were found under a staircase leading from the top flat of the two-storey home into the yard.
Da Silva then went on to present to the court what he stated were special reasons why his client ought to be granted reasonable bail. The court heard that there was the issue of multiple occupancy since several families reside at the premises. He also cited the fact that the yard is not properly fenced and its gate left open for persons to traverse in order to get to another street, the premature nature of the charge since the substance was not tested to determine if it was a narcotic, and the fact that the defendant was at the back yard when the narcotics were found.
Having heard from both the prosecutor and the defence, the magistrate stated that there was no special reason presented for her to grant bail and she remanded Bartholomew to prison and adjourned the matter until January 22nd.
