A man who admitted that he was transporting 129 grammes of marijuana was yesterday sentenced to a three-year jail term by acting Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry.
Raymond Mohamed, 30, who was with three other men in a taxi when the substance was found, pleaded guilty to a charge of possession of narcotics for the purpose of trafficking at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court. His co-accused, Leroy Adams, Shawn Persaud and Charles Barrow, were remanded to prison after they pleaded not guilty.
It was alleged that the men were found with the drugs on March 17. Police Prosecutor Lionel Harvey told the court that a mobile patrol spotted hire car PLL 6823.
It was driven by Persaud and Mohamed was in the passenger seat next to him, while Adams and Barrow were occupying the rear passenger seats. Harvey said that as the car was approaching Sandy Babb Street, Kitty, the patrol stopped it and conducted a search, during which the officers found a bulky black plastic bag in the front seat of the car. Upon further inspection, they found a quantity of cannabis seeds, stems and leaves. The defendants were cautioned and Mohamed claimed the bag.
All four men were arrested and taken to the Kitty Police Station, where they were subsequently charged.
In addressing the court, Mohamed explained that he had received a call to pick up the cannabis, which he did. He said the others in the car had no knowledge about the presence of the substance.
The Magistrate subsequently handed down the three year sentence to Mohamed and ordered him to pay a fine of $30,000. Adams, Persaud and Barrow were refused bail and the case was transferred to Court Five for reports and fixture on March 22.
