Two men, who were allegedly found with cannabis and cocaine in their possession for the purpose of trafficking were on Monday remanded to prison when they appeared before Magistrate Hazel Octive-Hamilton at the Georgetown Magistrate’s Court.
Mark Mc Lean pleaded not guilty to the charge of possession of narcotics for the purpose of trafficking. He denied that he was found with 36 grammes of cannabis in his possession for the purpose of trafficking on May 22 at Meadowbrook Gardens.
Police Prosecutor Robert Clemment requested that Mc Lean be remanded to prison and the magistrate subsequently so ordered. He will return to court on September 2.
Meanwhile, Frederick Garraway also pleaded not guilty to two charges of possession of narcotics for the purpose of trafficking.
He denied that he had 19 grammes of cannabis and 20 grammes of cocaine in his possession for the purpose of trafficking on May 22.
His lawyer stated that from information gathered, Garraway was beaten by police ranks at the Lethem Police Station. The lawyer said Garraway had received severe blows to his stomach and the police have become “crafty” by beating him in areas about the body where marks were not visible.
Garraway then stated “they [police] tek a gun and lash it to meh stomach”. He said that he had undergone surgery to his abdomen about four months ago.
The magistrate reasoned that if he had been dealt blows to that area the stomach would from the surgery would have opened.
Garraway then exhibited a gash to his lower abdomen which he stated was as a result of continuous blows to it.
The lawyer stated that the defendant was brought from Lethem last Friday and was placed in the Brickdam lockups.
Garraway, the lawyer said, had complained about pains felt in his stomach and had asked the police to take him to the hospital for medical attention, but this was never done. The defence attorney then applied for bail.
However, the magistrate ordered that Garraway be remanded to prison and transferred the case to the Lethem Magistrate’s Court for June 2.