Two loggers, accused of possessing over 35 pounds of marijuana, were further remanded to prison yesterday, even as their lawyer challenged the prosecutor to produce all of the drug in court.
Marvin Pestano, 30, of 113 Campbellville Housing Scheme and Aldo Brock, 36, of 102 Mahaicony initially appeared before Magistrate Judy Latchman on Tuesday and denied that on September 13 on the Linden/Soesdyke Highway, they had in their possession 17 kilogrammes of cannabis, the equivalent of 37.4 pounds, for trafficking purposes.
Yesterday, they appeared before Magistrate Ann McLennan where their newly acquired lawyer made bail applications on their behalf.
The lawyer, Hukumchand, told the court that Pestano and Brock had been walking in Hauraruni along a trail scouting for logs when the police picked them up and took them to a farm that was then burned. This farm, Hukumchand added, was not known to the men.
The lawyer went on to say that the men were subsequently taken to the Timehri Police Station where they were charged. However, no cannabis was weighed or shown to Pestano and Brock, Hukumchand said.
“They were in no way connected to the events,” the lawyer emphasised. He further challenged Prosecutor Deniro Jones to produce the 37 pounds of cannabis his clients had been charged with having in their possession. “We haven’t even seen a gramme of this cannabis,” Hukumchand pointed out.
However, Prosecutor Jones refuted the lawyer’s version of events and claimed that the police’s facts differ greatly.
According to Jones, Criminal Investigations Department (CID) ranks went to Hauraruni, where they met the defendants and proceeded to a farm where the cannabis was found. Jones emphasised that the ranks had gone to Hauraruni due to information received.
In rebuttal, Hukumchand pointed out that the prosecutor had clearly said that the investigating ranks had proceeded to the farm and the defendants had not been found at that location. However, Jones maintained that it was all the same area.
Jones further revealed that the police had the 37 pounds of cannabis in their custody. It is unclear whether he will procure it when the trial commences.
Pestano and Brock were remanded to prison once more after Magistrate McLennan indicated that she was not satisfied with the special reasons cited by Hukumchand for the granting of bail.
The men will return to court tomorrow and will appear before Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry.
