A 50-year-old father of nine yesterday pleaded guilty to the charge of possession of narcotics for the purpose of trafficking and was sentenced to four years imprisonment and fined $30,000 at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court.
On Monday, in the North West District, Garfield King had 105.5 grams of cannabis along with 8.3 grams of cocaine in his possession.
King, who admitted the charge, pleaded with the court for leniency. “I am a user, I am not a trafficker your worship… I had plenty (narcotics) at the time because I buy a lot so that I don’t have to go back steady to buy more… I am a married man and I have nine children, I beg for leniency your worship,” he said.
After listening to the emotional plea by the accused, the magistrate stressed that it is a very serious offence.
She also asked him whether he was aware of the penalty and King nodded and said, “Yes worship.”
In presenting the facts of the case to the court, Prosecutor Neville Jeffers said that on the day, acting on information, police ranks visited the home of the accused, who operates a restaurant.
Jeffers said that at the time when the drugs were found the man was preparing breakfast for two of his customers. The prosecutor further related that the ranks carried out a search in the presence of the accused and as a result a quantity of seeds, stems and leaves suspected to be cannabis along with a whitish powdery substance that appeared to be cocaine were discovered.
Therefore, the man was cautioned and taken to the police station where the narcotics were weighed in his presence.
The unrepresented King would be spending four year behind bars.
