A Kitty man was yesterday charged with two counts of narcotic-trafficking after quantities of cannabis were found at a stall at Merriman Mall.
Mark Brown, 51, of 57 Sandy Babb Street, Kitty, was remanded to prison when he appeared before Magistrate Judy Latchman at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court.
Brown denied the charge which stated that on July 2, at the Merriman Mall, he had in his possession 45 and 80 grammes of cannabis for the purpose of trafficking.
Attorney George Thomas made a desperate but unsuccessful attempt for his client’s pre-trial liberty.
Thomas argued that at no time did his client have custody, care or control of the drug, while adding that he was absent when the cannabis was unearthed.
Thomas said that according to his instructions, it is the current owner of the stall at which the illegal item was found, who was present when the police conducted their search. The stall owner was detained by the lawmen but subsequently released, he noted, while questioning the reason for the police releasing the other person and arresting his client, who is the former owner of the stall.
But Prosecutor Vishnu Hunt challenged Thomas’ account, saying that at all material times the accused had custody, care and control of the drugs.
Hunt said it is true that the defendant was absent when the search was conducted, but stressed that the prosecution is in possession of sufficient evidence which substantiates that he was in custody, care and control of the cannabis.
He added that based on statements submitted to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), advice was given to lay charges against the accused.
The prosecutor, however, added that the details of the case will be ventilated at the trial.
After hearing submissions on both sides, the Magistrate informed Brown that he would be remanded to prison. The case will be called again on July 31st.
