Pompey pleaded not guilty to the charge of possession of narcotics for the purpose of trafficking when Magistrate Hazel Octive-Hamilton read it to him.
He denied that on March 17, at Lot 50 Dowding Street, Kitty, he had 29 grammes of cannabis in his possession for the purpose of trafficking. His lawyer Vic Puran applied for bail, while questioning the conduct of the police in the matter. He noted that nothing was found on his client’s person or in his exclusive possession, while two others were arrested and reportedly charged in relation to the same matter. He added that the two others were subsequently released though the evidence against them was the same as those against his client, save for the fact that he lives at the address where the narcotics were found.
However, Prosecutor Joel Ricknauth objected to bail, stating that the narcotics were found in a microwave in the defendant’s home. He stated that based on advice received from the Director of Public Prosecutions, the two others held were released and Pompey charged. The prosecutor noted that nothing that the defence attorney had stated were special circumstances for bail to be granted to the defendant.
The magistrate refused Pompey his pre-trial liberty and ordered that he return to court on May 7.
