Three persons are now remanded prisoners after allegedly being found with marijuana during police searches in Cuyuni River areas.
Owen Yearwood, 19, of Lot 59 Nabaclis, East Coast Demerara, faced two drug charges on Monday when he appeared before Magistrate Judy Latchman at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court.
It was alleged that on November 22, at Melagy Landing, Cuyuni River, Yearwood had 1.1 grammes of cannabis in his possession. It was also alleged that Yearwood and Selyma Curtis, 24, of Lot 28 Dennis Street, Sophia, had in their possession, 112 grammes of cannabis for the purpose of trafficking.
They both pleaded not guilty to the charge.
Prosecutor Renetta Bentham said that on November 22, at around 05:45hrs, Aranka police ranks were conducting a search at Dover’s Hotel, where ranks met Yearwood, searched him and found 1.1 grammes of cannabis in his right side pants pocket. When told of the offence, he is reported to have remained silent.
Bentham added that inside Room 4, where Yearwood was found, a red towel was found hidden behind a wall and it contained parcels of leaves, seeds and stems, suspected to be cannabis. When Curtis was questioned, she admitted the towel to be hers.
They were subsequently arrested and charged.
Attorney James Bond, who represented both parties, made an application for reasonable bail to be granted.
He said that the drug was not found on either of his clients but rather it was found inside of a camp shared by numerous persons. He added that his clients had no knowledge of the drugs.
Bentham, however, objected to bail being granted based on the seriousness and prevalence of the offence. Bentham also pointed out the fact that some of the narcotic was found inside of Yearwood’s pants pocket and added that Bond did not provide any special reasons relating to the charge to justify the release of his clients.
Meanwhile, Sharon Adolphus, a 45-year old clothing vendor and mother of five, also pleaded not guilty on Monday to having 100 grammes of cannabis in her possession for the purpose of trafficking.
It is alleged that on November 22, at around 08:00hrs, police ranks went to a guesthouse at Aranka Landing, where they searched a room occupied by Adolphus and found leaves, seeds and stems suspected to be cannabis wrapped inside of a mosquito net hanging over her bed. She denied owning the narcotics but was arrested.
Yearwood, Curtis and Adolphus were all remanded by Magistrate Latchman on Monday and their cases were transferred to Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry, who yesterday further remanded them and transferred the cases to the Bartica Magistrate’s Court.
