A pregnant woman was yesterday granted bail by Magistrate Ann McLennan after being charged with the illegal possession of ammunition.
Thirty-nine-year-old Ann-Mariah Bowen pleaded not guilty to the charge which stated that on May 4 at Karamu Junction, Essequibo River, she had in her possession four live .38 rounds of ammunition without being the holder of a firearm licence.
In his petition for bail, Attorney Glenn Hanoman described the incident as an unusual matter that merits the granting of bail while highlighting that Bowen poses no flight risk as she has been operating the same restaurant and bar at the same location in Mahdia for the past 12 years.
He went on to explain that his client, who is already a mother of six and two months pregnant with her seventh child, would have to remain in custody throughout her pregnancy as her trial stands the chance of starting in November. However, objections to bail were made by the prosecution based on the gravity of the offence as well as the penalty it attracts.
In the end, Bowen was granted $75,000 bail, while the matter was transferred to the Mahdia Magistrate’s Court for July 13.
