A prison officer and his brother were charged on Friday last over introducing narcotics into prison.
Prison officer Dexter Douglas, 24, of Tucber Park, New Amsterdam and his brother Errol Bristol, 40, an inmate of the New Amsterdam Prison pleaded not guilty to the charge of introducing narcotics into prison. The duo appeared Magistrate Adele Nagamootoo in the New Amsterdam Magistrate Court. They were remanded to prison after bail was refused.
The court was told that on January 4 2013 the brothers had in their possession some 851 grammes of cannabis.
It was stated that around 9:30 pm on the day in question, a prison officer noticed suspicious movements in the prison. Upon investigating, he noticed a prisoner with a backpack. The officer told the prisoner to stop but the prisoner paid no heed.
The officer followed the prisoner, but when he caught up with him, the backpack was nowhere to be found. He conducted a thorough search and found the hidden bag.
The bag was opened in the presence of the prisoner and a quantity of leaves seeds and stems suspected to be marijuana were found. They were tested and weighed by the prison officer.
During the interrogation process, the court heard, the prisoner revealed to the investigators that Douglas had sent him to collect the bag.
When investigators questioned Douglas he denied the allegation.
It was on the advice of the Director of Public Prosecu-tions that Douglas and Bristol were charged.
Bristol is currently serving a four-year sentence for trafficking in narcotics.
The duo is to return to court on July 8.
Douglas is being represented by Attorney Mursaline Bacchus.
