A student of the Sophia Special School, charged with possession of an ice pick, was last week granted bail in the sum of $5,000 at the Georgetown Magistrate Court.
The charge levelled against Marlon Lowe, 18, is that on March 22, at Croal Street, Stabroek, he had an ice pick in his possession without lawful authority or reasonable explanation.
Lowe pleaded guilty to the charge when it was read to him by Magistrate Alan Wilson and offered the court an explanation.
The prosecutor, Lance Corporal Renetta Bentham said that on the day in question at around 16:45 hrs, Lowe was standing on Croal Street with other students when they were told by some policemen to proceed home.
Bentham said Lowe’s behaviour caused the police to search him, at which he attempted to run. She said that he was caught and a 12-inch ice pick was found in his school bag.
She added that he was arrested and told of the offence.
Lowe, when given an opportunity to speak, said he was liming at the bus park with a female friend and his bag zip burst. He said his female friend was trying to fix his bag when a male friend from his school came over to where he was standing.
Lowe said he asked the guy to assist him with fixing the bag and his male friend took a pair of scissors out of his school bag.
Lowe added that he was holding his male friend’s bag because the friend had his bag trying to fix it, when he felt something sharp boring him.
The young man stated that at that point two officers approached him and asked to carry out a search on him. He said that he immediately dropped the bag and tried to run away because he thought he knew what was inside the bag.
Lowe added that he was subsequently apprehended by the police and taken down to the police station where he gave and signed a statement.
Lowe however, made it clear to the court that the ice pick did not belong to him.
The magistrate told him that he found his story really strange and asked him why he would take the blame for something he had not done.
A not-guilty plea was then recorded for him and the magistrate indicated to the prosecutor that he would like more evidence to be brought before the court to substantiate Lowe’s story, since he found it strange.
His matter will be called again on May 6.