Amrita Persaud and Gavin Williams, allegedly busted by Customs Anti-Narcotic Unit (CANU) ranks with over four kilos of ganja, are now behind bars until their next court hearing.
Persaud, 22, who operates an internet café and Williams, 42, a businessman, were remanded to prison yesterday by city magistrate Fabayo Azore after they appeared before her to answer a drug trafficking charge.
Persaud, of 26 Seaforth Street, Campbelville, and Williams, of 82 Gordon Street, Kitty, denied the allegation that they were in possession of 4.566 kilogrammes of cannabis for the purpose of trafficking at Persaud’s residence on February 21.
According to CANU Prosecutor Oswald Massiah, Persaud and Williams know each other’s families. Massiah said Williams, who is involved in the mining business, made arrangements with Persaud to leave the bag of cannabis at her home. Williams went to the home with the substance in his vehicle and delivered it to Persaud, he said, with the intention of having her mail it.
Massiah added that CANU ranks went to Persaud’s home on the day in question and she allegedly told them that she knew what they came for.
He added that the CANU ranks then identified themselves and requested to search the premises, leading to the discovery of what was suspected to be cannabis in a bag in a bedroom.
CANU ranks, acting on information, arrested Williams, who initially denied that he gave Persaud the drug.
He subsequently admitted that he did and agreed to help CANU with the case, Massiah said, adding that Williams took the ranks to a house in South Ruimveldt to the man he claimed gave the drug to him.
However, the home was without an occupant when Williams took the ranks there. Williams was later arrested and slapped with the drug trafficking charge.
Persaud’s lawyer, Neil Boston, made a failed bail application. He said the fact that Persaud was given a bag and had no idea what was in the bag constituted a special reason for bail.
The lawyer added that the amount of the suspected cannabis should have no relevance to Persaud being admitted bail. He further argued that there was no witness in the case, thus no possibility of tampering by his client.
Williams’ lawyer, Onassis Granville, who appeared in association with Peter Hugh and Kean Trotman, argued that nothing from the prosecution’s facts indicated that Williams, a father of six, was in actual or constructive possession of the drug.
She also argued that the fact that a defendant is not allowed to testify against a co-defendant also constituted a special circumstance for bail.
She also noted that her client, who was not found in the home where the drug was found, has always maintained his innocence.
The two were subsequently remanded to prison after Magistrate Azore ruled that she had found no special reasons raised by the defence in relation to the charge. The case was adjourned until March 19 for report and fixtures.
