A man who admitted to trafficking in a quantity of cannabis and cocaine was yesterday sentenced to four years imprisonment and ordered to pay a $60,000 fine.
Meanwhile, a woman jointly charged along with the man for the same offences was remanded to prison after pleading not guilty.
Dale Thomas accepted that on January 28 at 59 David Street, Kitty he had in his possession two kilogrammes, 377 grammes of cannabis for the purpose of trafficking. He also admitted that on the same day he had in his possession 58 grammes of cocaine for the purpose of trafficking.
Phoebe Sancho, a mother of two of 215 David Street, Kitty, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Acting Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry asked Thomas if he was sure about pleading guilty to the charges after informing him that the offences carry a mandatory prison sentence.
The defendant then told the acting chief magistrate that he was fully aware that he would be imprisoned and maintained that he was guilty.
“I was keeping it [the drugs] for someone,” Thomas explained.
In giving the facts of the case, Special Prosecutor of the Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit (CANU) Oswald Massiah, told the court that a group of CANU officers, after receiving certain information, searched the 59 David Street, Kitty home where the drugs were found.
Upon entering the house, the prosecutor related to the court, Thomas was seen trying to get rid of a bag which was retrieved and it was found to contain the cannabis. According to Massiah, further searches under a bed led to the discovery of the cocaine.
Massiah noted that Sancho surrendered and placed her hands in the air after the CANU officers entered the house.
Attorney Deborah Backer who represented Sancho said that her client was innocent of the charge levelled against her.
Acknowledging in her address to the court that special circumstances must be advanced with regard to the offence and not the offender when considering the granting of bail, Backer said that the fact that Thomas has accepted full responsibility for the charges shows that her client is innocent.
Backer said too that the trial would have to determine the issue of possession, arguing that though her client was present in the house where the illegal substance was found, it was not in her possession.
The lawyer said too that by surrendering and lifting her hands in the air when the CANU officers entered the house, her client was actually, “doing a sensible thing.”
Counsel argued that putting her empty hands in the air in an act of surrender shows that her client hadn’t the illegal substance on her person. In pleading for bail, Backer added that Sancho had no previous convictions, poses no risk of flight, has a fixed address and has been cooperating with police investigations.
After listening to the case, however, the prosecution’s request was granted and the woman was remanded to prison until February 7.
Meanwhile, Thomas was sentenced to four years imprisonment on each charge which will run concurrently and he was further fined $30,000 on each charge.
