An older couple, alleged to have been caught with five kilogrammes of cannabis in their Central Rupununi home, were yesterday remanded to prison by a city court.
Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan stated that based on the facts of the matter presented by the prosecution, she had not found any special reasons why the couple should be granted bail.
Attorney Moti Singh had made an application for bail on behalf of Wilfred and Marcellina Francis, who were charged with having five kilogrammes of cannabis in their possession on February 10th, for the purpose of trafficking.
The accused pleaded not guilty to the charge after much prompting and the court later heard that the couple did not speak English very well.
In his bail application, Singh stated that the house where the cannabis was found was occupied by several persons and added that the couple were just the caretakers of the property. He even named the granddaughter of the accused and her boyfriend as the true owners of the cannabis.
Singh further noted that Wilfred, 66, and Marcellina, 58, were sickly, and that incarceration may lead to quick deterioration of their health.
Prosecutor Deniro Jones, however, objected to the bail request, while stating that no special reasons existed. Contrary to Singh’s claims that other persons occupy the house, Jones said that the husband and wife live alone.
The prosecutor related that on the day in question, at around 10.30pm, the police, acting on information, went to the home of the accused and carried out a search in the back room. In that room, two black plastic parcels were discovered containing the cannabis.
The matter has been transferred to the Lethem Magistrate’s Court and adjourned to March 1st.
