A Lethem man, accused of being found with 24 grammes of marijuana, will have to wait two months in jail before the case is heard after being remanded to prison yesterday.
Forbes Edwards, 41, a father of four young children with one more on the way, appeared before Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry yesterday afternoon charged with the possession of the cannabis on June 30 in Tabatinga, Lethem.
Edwards pleaded not guilty to the charge when it was read to him.
According to Prosecutor Bharat Mangru, on the date in question a party of police ranks went to the defendant’s home to search for arms and ammunition.
A search was conducted on the man’s person and a brown envelope containing a quantity of leaves, seeds, and stems, later confirmed to be marijuana, was discovered in one of his back pockets. Attorney Lennox Hanoman represented Edwards and said that his client had a “superb” record, with no previous brushes with the law. Hanoman also pointed out that if Edwards were remanded, the man would be spending quite some time in prison as the matter would be unable to reconvene until the Lethem Magistrate’s Court’s next sitting.
This lengthy period, Hanoman added, would cause his client to “suffer.”
Prosecutor Mangru nevertheless raised objections to bail and noted that the defence counsel had raised no special reasons for the consideration of bail. The reasons raised, Mangru said, applied to the offender and not the actual offence.
Mangru further stated that Edwards will have the opportunity to attend the Lethem’s court first sitting when it commences. Hence, Edwards was remanded to prison until September 1, when the case will be called at the Lethem Magistrate’s Court.
