A farmer who said he cultivated cannabis plants in order to sell and raise money to purchase a chainsaw was yesterday sentenced to three years in jail.
Franklin Valenzuela, called ‘Franklin Anthony,’ was also fined $6,000 after he admitted that on September 2, at Hobadeia Village, North West District (NWD), he cultivated the prohibited cannabis sativa.
In addition, Valenzuela, 47, was arraigned at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts with his common-law wife Claris Hutson, 63, on a charge of having 1,117 grammes of cannabis in their possession for the purpose of trafficking.
Also, on the same day, the couple is alleged to have had three 16-gauge cartridge shells and a 16-gauge live cartridge without licence.
They both denied these charges.
The parties have two children and reside at Hobadeia Village, NWD.
Explaining his cultivation of the prohibited plants, Valenzuela told Magistrate Judy Latchman that it was the first time that he had farmed the illegal substance. He said he did it because he wanted to purchase a chainsaw. “Is the very first time I try fuh plant it, ’cause I did want to buy a chainsaw” the unrepresented Valenzuela said.
Magistrate Latchman, however, cautioned him that what he did, regardless of his reason, was wrong and constituted an offence since it is against the law to plant such illegal substances.
She informed him that he will be spending the next three years in prison for committing the offence, after imposing the fine.
The prosecution’s case is that the police, acting on information received, went to Valenzuela’s home to launch an investigation into the planted cannabis.
The court heard from prosecutor Michael Grant that the defendant then took the lawmen to the backland, where they discovered 16 marijuana plants on his farm.
According to Grant, Valenzuela admitted that the plants were his and that he had planted them.
Meanwhile, regarding the other charges, Grant said that the cannabis was found in the couple’s home and that the ammunition was found in a carton box among some old clothes at the bottom of their house.
He objected to bail and noted that no special circumstances were raised for it to be considered.
Valenzuela and Hutson were then informed that they would be remanded to prison until September 8, when their next hearing is fixed for Court One.
