A mason who was found with two grammes of cannabis was yesterday fined $3,000 when he appeared at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court and was additionally ordered to perform community service at the Brickdam Police Station for the next seven consecutive Saturdays, beginning today.
Affiba Yankana, 25, accepted that on December 31 last, he had two grammes of cannabis in his possession.
After pleading guilty to the charge, the unrepresented Yankana exclaimed, “No! I don plead guilty Mom,” when asked by Magistrate Judy Latchman if he had anything to say regarding his guilt.
Yankana was additionally charged with threatening to bore a man with a pair of scissors, in front of whose shop the police said he was smoking the illegal substance.
The lot E½ Hadfield Street, Wortmanville, resident pleaded not guilty to that charge which stated that on December 31 also, at Lot 66 Bent Street Georgetown, he used threatening behaviour to Avinash Salim, thereby resulting in a breach of the peace.
Prosecutor Joel Ricknauth who related the police’s case said that on old year’s day, Salim had asked Yankana to desist from smoking in front of his shop.
According to Ricknauth, the defendant refused to comply with the shop owner’s request and began threatening to bore him with scissors.
The court heard that a mobile police patrol in the vicinity was summoned to the scene and when the defendant was searched, two transparent Ziploc bags containing two grammes of cannabis were discovered.
After hearing the matters, Magistrate Latchman imposed a $3,000 fine upon Yankana together with community service for the narcotic-possession charge.
Meanwhile, he was placed on $25,000 bail on the threatening charge and ordered to return to court on January 7 when that case will be called again before Magistrate Annette Singh at the Georgetown Magistrate’s Court 11.
