Magistrate Ann McLennan sentenced a man to three years in jail after he told her that the 15 grammes of cannabis he had in his possession was to make tea.
Bernard Harry, 39, of 37 Christianburg, pleaded guilty to the charge of possession and offered an explanation when he appeared in the Christianburg Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday. In addition to the jail time, Harry was also fined $15,000.
Prosecuting Officer Inspector Oswald Pitt told the court that on Wednesday May 29, at 10pm, a group of policemen on patrol duty in Canvas City, Wismar, saw the defendant at a shop and as the group approached him, Harry quickly put his right hand behind his back.
He was approached and searched. Police found a yellow and white striped plastic parcel in his right hand containing a substance suspected to be cannabis.
The prosecutor said Harry was cautioned, arrested and escorted to the Mackenzie Police Station on suspicion of possession of cannabis. The substance was weighed and found to be 15 grams of cannabis valued at $15,000.
In his explanation, Harry, who claimed to be a miner, said he lived with his five children and their mother, who suffers from bronchitis. He pleaded with the magistrate to be lenient with him since he was taking the marijuana home to make tea.
He also sought leniency while noting that his youngest child is two-years old.
