A man and his wife, who police say were found with a quantity of ecstasy, were yesterday both granted their release on bail after they denied a drug trafficking charge.
Lonsdale Hope, 34, and his common-law wife Shelly Ann Gilgeous, 27, were read a joint charge which stated that on April 23rd, at Regent Road, Bourda, they had in their possession 66 grammes (equivalent to 0.14 pounds) of ecstasy for the purpose of trafficking.
Hope, a sales representative and Gilgeous, a nurse, denied the charge, which was read to them by Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan in Georgetown.
Police prosecutor Gordon Mansfield objected to bail being granted to the couple. The prosecutor noted that on the date in question, ranks from the Guyana Police Force’s Narcotics Branch intercepted a vehicle, with licence plate PSS 2037, in which the defendants were the lone occupants. The prosecutor noted that a search was conducted on the vehicle and a bag with the ecstasy was found in a handbag, which Gilgeous identified as hers, in the back passenger seat. According to Mansfield, Gilgeous gave an oral statement to the police stating that it was her common-law husband who gave her the substance.
The prosecutor noted that the analyst certificate in relation to the substance is outstanding.
Attorney Dexter Todd, who represented the duo, urged the court to grant the defendants bail, given the length of time it would take to commence the trial.
Having heard from both the prosecutor and the attorney, Chief Magistrate McLennan granted each defendant $150,000 bail with the condition that they report every Friday to the Providence police station, to the officer in charge every Friday at 9.
The matter was then adjourned to May 28 and transferred to the courtroom of Magistrate Judy Latchman.
