The boyfriend of the United Kingdom-based Guyanese woman who was earlier this month charged with trying to smuggle cocaine out of the country in bottles of rum was yesterday arraigned on the same charge.
Dwayne King, 32, of 165 Stanleytown, West Bank Demerara, was implicated by his girlfriend, Vanessa Moore, who was on November 9th charged with smuggling 2.9 kilogrammes of cocaine at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA).
On November 17th, the defendant turned himself in to the police in the presence of his attorney.
King’s attorney was not able to make it to the hearing yesterday but the accused pleaded not guilty to the charge after Magistrate Judy Latchman decided to proceed with the matter.
According to reports, Moore was arrested at the CJIA after she was found with cocaine concealed in two bottles of El Dorado rum. Investigations later revealed that Moore had been in the company of King before she was apprehended and that the defendant had fled after the drugs were discovered. Reports also stated that Moore had been given the two bottles of rum by King, who had asked her to deliver them to a friend in London.
The accused stated that he had no knowledge of the offence and pleaded for bail to be granted to him as he had a newborn baby at home and was the sole bread winner of the family.
Magistrate Latchman, however, denied the bail application and ordered that King be remanded until his next court hearing, which is set for November 26th, when Moore will also be present.
