Acting Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry sentenced a Canadian National who pleaded guilty to trafficking in narcotics at the Cheddi Jagan Inter-national Airport, Timehri to four years jail, when he yesterday appeared in court.
According to the facts of the case, on November 18, at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport 21-year-old Nicholas Joshua Prince had in his possession 1kg 237 grams of cocaine for the purpose of trafficking. He admitted guilty when the charges were read to him in the Georgetown Magistrate’s Court.
Prince then asked for the court’s mercy saying, “Your worship that is all true but since this is the first time I ask you to be a little lenient. I was doing it all for the money, I live in a little shelter… I don’t want to serve a lot of time because I am going to school…I am studying.”
Prosecutor Luckhai Jairam told the court that on the said day, ranks from the narcotics branch searched the accused’s suitcase in his presence while he was at the CJIA. They then discovered 75 pellets suspected to be cocaine in the said belongings. Prince was questioned by the ranks regarding the findings and he admitted that he had ingested 24 pellets of cocaine.
The prosecutor further said that the Canadian was cautioned and taken to the Georgetown Hospital where he was admitted. On November 19, the substance was excreted and weighed in his presence.
In addressing the court Magistrate Sewnarine-Beharry stressed to the defendant the seriousness of the offence. She also said that the minimum sentence for the charge is three years and the maximum is five years behind bars. In handing down the sentence the magistrate considered several mitigating circumstances: the defendant’s age, lack of antecedents and his admission of guilt as well as the aggravating circumstances: the quantity of cocaine; prevalence and seriousness of the offence and that he is old enough to stand the consequences of his actions.
Prince who resides at 11 Ordnance Street, Toronto, Canada was given the jail term and also fined $30,000.
