Fawad Hamid and Mark Douglas, the two men who were allegedly held with almost 130 pounds of cannabis after a shootout with police in Kitty, were yesterday refused bail when they were arraigned on a drug trafficking charge.
Hamid, 22, known as ‘Not Nice,’ of Rosignol, Berbice and minibus conductor Douglas, of Number 3 Village, West Coast Berbice, pleaded not guilty when the charge was read to them by Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts.
The charge stated that on March 12, at David Street, Kitty, Hamid and Douglas had in their possession 58.843 kilogrammes (equivalent to over 129 pounds) of cannabis for the purpose of trafficking.
Hamid was represented by attorney Mark Waldron, who made an unsuccessful application for bail, while Douglas was unrepresented. Police Prosecutor Bharat Mangru said police ranks, acting on information received, traveled to the vicinity of Subs and Salads on Sheriff Street, where two vehicles were seen. Hamid, who was the driver of one of the vehicles, PJJ 8009, turned into David Street after seeing the ranks arrive but he was later cornered by the police vehicle.
A search was conducted on his car and a white bag was found, Mangru said, adding that further searches conducted revealed four other bags with compressed cannabis in the trunk. When cautioned, Hamid allegedly told the police, “a man give me the weed to bring to town and we did waiting for somebody to pick it up when the police come.”
Mangru added that when Douglas was arrested, he told the police. “A man tell me fuh clear the way fuh ‘Not Nice’ pass with the weed and he go pay me $35,000.”
Mangru objected to bail since no special reason was provided to the court.
His objection was upheld and the men were remanded to prison until Monday, when the matter will be heard by Magistrate Ann McLennan.
Crime Chief Leslie James had confirmed on Thursday that the men were pursued by plainclothes policemen around 9:30AM on Thursday, from Sheriff Street into David Street, and there was an exchange of gunfire. The men later surrendered.
According to a resident, “I see the car coming in my direction and one of the men shoot at the police car behind them.
The police shoot up in the air and the men them stop their car and come out.”
