After spending just over a month in prison a customs broker and his reputed wife, who are on trial for allegedly giving cocaine to a Bahamian woman who was caught at the airport, were granted $300,000 bail each.
Acting Chief Magistrate Cecil Sullivan placed Sunil Datt, 34, and Shelly Singh, 25, both of 111 Collingswood Avenue, Nandy Park on bail after submissions by their attorney K Juman Yassin at the Georgetown Magistrate’s Court.
It is alleged that on February 3 at Republic Park, East Bank Demerara the two defendants were in possession of narcotics, by supplying 1 kilogramme, 586 grammes of cocaine to Melecie Ewing.
Ewing appeared before Magistrate Melissa Robertson-Ogle and was sentenced to four years in prison and also ordered to pay a $10,000 fine. She was an outgoing passenger at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport, Timehri on a flight to Miami when police stopped her and searched her suitcase. Ranks found the cocaine secreted in fake walls of her suitcase. She was arrested and told of the offence. While in custody, Ewing reportedly gave the names of the two defendants to the police who later arrested them.
The Bahamian woman who had pleaded guilty gave sworn testimony from the witness stand saying she did not want to proceed with the matter. The woman Melecie Ewing who had pleaded guilty to the trafficking offence when she first appeared in court is at present serving a four-year sentence. Ewing said “I was caught trafficking drugs out of Guyana and I wish not to give any evidence against anybody. I am in a strange country and I am serving a four-year sentence. I will do so and go with a peace of mind by me not giving any statement and it’s by my own free will.” She added that no one made any threats or promises to get her to say what she had stated.
The defence counsel told the court that the police did not have evidence against his clients and Ewing’s testimony was reason enough for them to be granted bail.
Singh alone was present in court since Datt is hospitalised. Their case continues on March 21.
