A Buck Hall, Essequibo man, who was found transporting over 600 grammes of weed hidden in a spare tyre in his truck, was on Friday remanded to prison by a city magistrate.
Leroy Junior Fraser, 43, pleaded “guilty with explanation” to the charge that on October 26, at 70 Kilometres Police Outpost, he had in his possession 674 grammes of cannabis for trafficking.
According to Police Prosecutor Neville Jeffers, the police at the outpost conducted a search on a truck that was driven by Fraser and the ranks observed that in a spare wheel of the vehicle there was a black plastic bag containing three transparent bags with leaves, seeds and stems, suspected to be cannabis. Fraser was cautioned by the police and Jeffers said he then admitted that he knew “about the weed,” which he identified as “Dougla weed.”
It was noted that Fraser was the only passenger in the vehicle when it was searched.
Fraser, however, explained to the court that the cannabis was found in his vehicle but it had belonged to a man who he knew as ‘Dougla.’ He said he knew that ‘Dougla’ had placed it in the spare wheel and then boarded another vehicle that was ahead of his vehicle. He said the two vehicles were hired to make a trip into the interior.
His vehicle was used to transport goods and supplies, while another vehicle transported the people. Fraser said he had objected to the man leaving the narcotics in his vehicle because he wanted nothing to do with it if the police stopped him.
The accused said he explained this to the police and they held him and ‘Dougla’ for the cannabis but the man was released in the morning and he alone was charged with the offence.
As a result of his explanation, the magistrate entered a not guilty plea for Fraser, who was then remanded to prison. The case was adjourned until November 18, when it will be called at the Bartica Magistrate’s Court.
