A mother of two was yesterday remanded to prison after being charged with possession of a smoke grenade, which police say she was going to smuggle into the Camp Street Prison for death row inmate Mark Royden Williams, called ‘Smallie,’ who was recently convicted for the Bartica massacre killings.
Kelly Ann Martins, 27, of Lot 288 Ramsingh Street, Sophia, Greater Georgetown, faced two charges when she appeared before Magistrate Zamilla Ally-Seepaul at the Sparendaam Magistrate’s Court.
It was alleged that on February 17, at ‘B’ Field, Sophia, she had a handheld smoke grenade in her possession, without being the holder of a licence. It was further alleged that on the same day, at the same location, she had 130 grammes of cannabis sativa in her possession for trafficking.
Martins, who is said to be a dispatcher at New Wave Taxi Service, pleaded not guilty to the both of the charges.
Police Prosecutor David Goodridge told the court that police officers, acting on information, went to the home of the defendant and told her that they suspected she was hiding the illegal items there.
According to him, the ranks conducted a search and found the grenade and marijuana hidden in her bedroom. Goodridge related that in a caution statement, Martins admitted to police that she was taking the items for ‘Smallie.’ He said she told police that she collected the grenade from an unknown person and planned on carrying it to the Camp Street jail for the prisoner.
The investigating rank told the court that there was an alleged confrontation between Martins and ‘Smallie.’ The rank added that police are still awaiting a ballistics report and phone records, which should link the defendant to the convicted murder accused.
The court learned that this is Martins’ second run-in with the law. She was said to have been charged before with attempting to smuggle marijuana into the Camp Street Prison but the matter was dismissed at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts. Martins denied this accusation but she later admitted that it was true after the magistrate grilled her on whether she was ever charged before.
Magistrate Ally-Seepaul subsequently remanded Martins to prison until March 27, 2017 for report.
