Shatise Atina Valentine, the US citizen accused of trafficking in seven kilogrammes of cocaine on October 26 last, was yesterday sentenced to five years imprisonment by acting Chief Magis-trate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry.
The magistrate informed the defendant that the Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit (CANU) had presented enough evidence to the court to secure the conviction.
The trial which lasted approximately 50 minutes was prosecuted by CANU Special Prosecutor Oswald Massiah and two witnesses testified, one for the prosecution and the other was called by the defendant.
CANU officer Ashley Williams who is stationed at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA), Timehri testified to having nabbed the woman with the illegal substance in her possession as she was attempting to export it to the US.
The prosecution’s case is that the accused was an outgoing passenger to the United States when she was nabbed by CANU officials with the illegal substance.
Williams told the court that the defendant’s luggage was being checked via the scanner when he became suspicious about a substance appearing to be cocaine.
The woman’s suitcase was then taken and examined after which the suspicious substance was tested and confirmed as being cocaine.
It was found concealed in the false insides of the suitcase. He said too that another set of cocaine was found hidden in milk tins. The witness said that he then told the defendant of the offence after which she was cautioned and arrested.
The CANU officer tendered to the court as exhibits the woman’s suitcase and the milk tins in which the cocaine was found.
Massiah said that the woman came to Guyana under the pretext of attending a wedding but after investigations were conducted it was found that this wasn’t the case.
After hearing the case, Sewnarine-Beharry then handed down the five-year sentence to the unrepresented woman who appeared before the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court.
The charge against Valentine is that on October 26 at the CJIA, she had in her possession seven kilogrammes of cocaine.
The woman had pleaded not guilty to the charge of possession of narcotics for the purpose of trafficking when she made her first court appearance on October 28 last.
