A man accused of trafficking in seven grammes of cocaine was yesterday remanded to prison when he made his appearance before Magistrate Hazel Octive-Hamilton at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court.
The allegation against Derrick Benett is that on August 19 at Georgetown, he had in his possession seven grammes of cocaine for the purpose of trafficking.
The defendant pleaded not guilty to the narcotics trafficking charge when it was read to him.
The unrepresented Benett who requested bail was told by the magistrate that he must advance special circumstances relating to the offence, and not to himself, the offender, for his pretrial liberty to be considered.
Asked if he had any such circumstances, Benett responded in the affirmative, citing that “they [the police], didn’t find me with nothing.”
According to the defendant, on the day in question he was coming from work when he was stopped by a mobile police patrol.
He said that the lawmen who were in the vehicle exited and began verbally abusing him and ordered him to put his hands in the air after which they placed their hands in his pocket.
He stressed, “I don’t know of anything.”
The prosecution, however, objected to Benett’s bail application, citing that its facts differed from his.
The prosecution’s case is that the illegal substance was allegedly found in the defendant’s left side pants pocket after the police conducted a search on his person.
After listening to the submissions on both sides, the presiding magistrate informed the accused that his pretrial liberty would be denied since the prosecution’s facts differed from his. This, she said, is a matter to be ventilated at the trial after which guilt or innocence will be determined.
The matter will be called again on September 27 at Court One for report and fixture for trial.
