A mother of six was yesterday remanded to prison on a charge that she attempted to traffic almost three kilogrammes of cocaine into the United States (US) through the Cheddi Jagan International Airport.
Shellon Kandhai, 32, of Lot 5 Railway Line, Industry, East Coast Demerara, pleaded not guilty to the charge of possession of cocaine for the purpose of trafficking when she appeared at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court.
The charge read by Magistrate Faith McGusty stated that on November 16, at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport, Kandhai had in her possession 2.938 kilogrammes of cocaine for the purpose of trafficking.
Customs Anti-Narcotic Unit (CANU) Prosecutor Oswald Massiah told the court that on November 16, Kandhai was a passenger scheduled to travel to the US. During processing for her departure her suitcase was scanned by a CANU officer, who observed an unusual substance inside the luggage. Massiah said that as a result, the suitcase was opened in her presence and the substance, believed to be cocaine, was discovered. She was subsequently taken to the CANU headquarters, Georgetown, where the illegal substance was weighed and amounted to 2.938 kilos.
Kandhai, Massiah told the court, admitted the suitcase was hers and she also admitted that she had packed the suitcase herself without the assistance of anyone. She also told officers that she owned and operated a business located at her home, but when officers visited the premises, there was no evidence to support her claims of owning a business, he added.
Massiah said that Kandhai then begged officers to spare her and lamented that she has six children.
He also said that she told investigators that she had received a 10-year visitor’s visa to the US four months prior to being intercepted at the airport. She said that she had told a few persons about her visa and it was after this that she was told to take the suitcase to the US by an individual. He added that Kandhai said she had received the suitcase two months prior to taking it with her to the airport.
Massiah objected to bail based on the seriousness and nature of the offence.
Magistrate McGusty subsequently informed that based on the grounds, no special reasons were offered and she would have to deny bail.
However, Magistrate McGusty did allow Kandhai another opportunity to offer a special reason to the court.
“Yo honour, I am a single mother with six minor children, the youngest five years old and the eldest 13 years old. I am the sole breadwinner, yo honour,” Kandhai said while almost bursting into tears.
“Well that’s unfortunate, but my hands are tied. The reasons you have given to me are not special reasons in relation to the charge. The law says that special reasons put forth must be in relation to the charge,” the magistrate explained to the accused.
Bail was then refused and Kandhai was remanded to jail until November 27.
The woman’s husband, Mark Kandhai, was gunned down in 2011 at their shop at Industry, while attending to a customer. After ensuring the job had been completed, the gunman jumped into a waiting car, while the badly-wounded Kandhai, who was shot twice including in the face, was rushed to Georgetown Hospital, where he died minutes after arrival.
