A repeat offender who said that he uses cannabis occasionally to treat his asthmatic condition was yesterday fined $10,000 or will alternatively serve six weeks in prison after appearing before Magistrate Hazel Octave-Hamilton.
Noland Forde, aka Noel Forde, admitted that on June 8 at Main Street, Georgetown, he had one gram of cannabis in his possession.
“Meh Worship, I does trouble with asthma, I sickly, and I does use it [cannabis] on and off,” was the explanation given by Forde when the magistrate enquired from him his reason for having the illegal substance in his possession.
The prosecution in presenting the facts of the case said that on the day in question police were on patrol when they noticed the defendant acting in a suspicious manner. He was subsequently stopped by the ranks and his person was searched when foil paper was found in his pants pocket.
In the foil wrapping was a quantity of leaves, seeds and stems suspected to be cannabis. The defendant was then told of the offence committed, and he was arrested and taken to the Brickdam Police Station where the suspected illegal substance was weighed in his presence and amounted to one gram of cannabis.
The magistrate informed the defendant that he would be fined but instead of ordering him to perform community service as well, he would be imprisoned for six weeks if he is unable to pay the fine. The magistrate said that the defendant is a “seasoned criminal with a number of convictions and as a result she will not order him to do community service. “No, I gun do it [community service],” Forde said.
Magistrate Octave-Hamilton, however, stressed that her decision was final.
