By Sharda Bacchus
Kenroy Joseph, the man accused of helping a couple bypass security at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) as part of a failed plot to smuggle cocaine onto a Canada-bound flight, has been charged with narcotics trafficking.
Joseph, 29, of 69 D’Andrade Street, Newtown, Kitty, was arraigned yesterday at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court 1, where his lawyer told Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry that he was the victim of a case of mistaken identity.
However, Prosecutor Michael Grant maintained that the police had the right man and noted that there was surveillance footage from the airport security cameras that linked him with the couple, Mahendra Ramsuchit and Rohbina Basdeoram.
Joseph was previously employed as a personal assistant to Junior Minister Ali Baksh for over two years.
The charge against Joseph states that on January 30, at the CJIA, Joseph, trafficked narcotics, that is to say he aided and abetted Ramsuchit and Basdeoram to traffic 21.360 kilogrammes of cocaine. It is the police’s case that he helped the couple to pass through the VIP lounge of the airplane by presenting forged documents from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to the Airport Duty Office (ADO) stating that he was carrying out protocol duties for Ramsuchit and Basdeoram. He pleaded not guilty.
Ramsuchit, 29, of Lot 18 Rose Hall, East Canje, Berbice, and his pregnant wife, Basdeoram, who is a Canadian national, were charged with drug trafficking last week Friday. It is alleged that on January 30, at the CJIA, Ramsuchit, had 10.392 kilogrammes of cocaine in his possession, while Basdeoram had 10.968 kilogrammes in her possession.
Police say the couple, who were booked on a Fly Jamaica flight destined for Toronto, Canada, initially evaded security by boarding the flight by way of the VIP section on the pretext of being relatives of a government official. However, while they were on the plane authorities learned that they had not been listed to access the VIP section and this led to searches that uncovered cocaine in their bags. They both pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Joseph’s attorney, James Bond, made an application for bail to be granted in a reasonable sum. Bond argued that his client was just being mistaken by the police for someone he is not and he should be placed on an identification parade. Police had initially issued a bulletin for Kenneth Jones, who was said to have been the person who helped the couple to access the VIP section at the airport.
Bond said Joseph was not found with any of the cocaine and the police could not prove that he had any knowledge of it. Bond asked for Joseph to be released on his own recognisance since he is not a flight risk and possessed a great reputation at the Customs and Anti-Narcotics Unit (CANU) and the Ministry of Agriculture prior to the case.
It was also brought to the court’s attention that Joseph presented himself to the police since he kept seeing articles in the newspapers with his photograph attached.
But Prosecutor Grant said Joseph was the person that produced an ID card with the name “Kenneth Jones.” He further noted that there is surveillance camera footage from the airport to show that he did go to the airport with the couple. Ramsuchit and Basdeoram, he added, also identified Joseph as the person who took them to the airport.
Grant also said Joseph had full knowledge of the couple’s activities when he produced a letter purportedly from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to get the passengers onboard via the VIP lounge.
Grant objected to bail, while noting that charges of fraud are likely to be laid against Joseph as the investigation is still not completed.
As a result of his arguments, bail was refused and the matter was adjourned until February 13. Joseph is be tried together with Ramsuchit and Basdeoram, who are both remanded prisoners.
Since his June 10, 2014 resignation, the Ministry of Agriculture has said, Joseph had not been authorised to provide protocol services for Baksh or any other government official.
