Alvin Murdock, the American citizen who was charged with cocaine possession on Wednesday, changed his plea to not guilty yesterday after he learned that the offence carries a minimum jail sentence of three years.
Murdock, 65, had pleaded guilty to the charge that on September 30, at Pike Street, Kitty, he had 1.5 grammes of cocaine for trafficking.
However, when he reappeared before Magistrate Fabayo Azore in Georgetown yesterday, he was told that by pleading guilty he would face a mandatory jail term of three years.
As a result, Murdock told the court that he was no longer pleading guilty and didn’t have any drug.
He was subsequently remanded to prison and is expected to make his next court appearance on October 25.
During his arraignment, the prosecutor stated that on the day in question, the police, during a raid, went to a yard and saw Murdock sitting on a bench. A search was then conducted on Murdock and the drug was allegedly found in a Crazy Glue tube in one of his pockets.
The accused was then told of the crime, arrested and taken to the Kitty Police Station, the prosecutor added.
Murdock, however, told the court that on the day in question he was visiting a friend and the police searched his pockets and found one rock.
He added that he was arrested and taken to the station but was never given the opportunity to call an attorney. Murdock further stated that he also gave money to the officers after they asked for it, and was also forced to sign documents under duress.