A logger and taxi driver were yesterday charged and remanded over the possession of more than four pounds of cannabis, after they both made an appearance in a city court for separate matters.
Yesterday, Hubert Rodrigues stood before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan, who read him a charge which alleged that he, on March 7, at Lana’s Ville, had in his possession 2,000 grammes (equivalent to 4.4 pounds) of cannabis for the purpose of trafficking.
Rodrigues, 41, denied the allegation levelled against him.
According to his attorney, Adrian Thompson, who made an application for bail, it was someone else and not the defendant who was found with the narcotics. He noted that the police visited his client’s home and conducted a search in the presence of the defendant’s reputed wife and son, and nothing was found. However, the attorney alleges that a search was then conducted in a neighbour’s yard, where suspected narcotics were found, and the police alleged that it belonged to Rodrigues. Thompson noted that the defendant may have signed a statement but said it was done for the release of his son.
Facts presented by police prosecutor Gordon Mansfield, allege that on the day in question, ranks from the MacKenzie Police Station, acting on information, went to a Police Outpost, where they uplifted the defendant, who was in custody for trafficking narcotics, and escorted him to his home.
At the home of the accused, the police were taken to a section of his back yard, where they were shown a black bulky plastic bag containing several transparent parcels with leaves, seeds and stems, suspected to be cannabis.
Rodrigues was then taken, along with the suspected cannabis, to the police outpost, where he gave a caution station admitting full ownership of the drugs. According to Mansfield, the defendant’s son was arrested but based on advice from the Director of Public Prosecutions, he was ordered to be released in the care of a guardian or someone from the Child Care and Protection Agency.
Mansfield then objected to bail being granted based on the seriousness of the offence.
Rodrigues was later remanded to prison and the matter adjourned until April 5, at the Kwakwani Magistrate’s Court.
Meanwhile, taxi driver Retinol Schultz, was also remanded to prison, after he was charged with being in possession of 1,923 grammes (equivalent to 4.2 pounds) of cannabis for trafficking.
Schultz, 41, also denied the allegation.
He was represented by attorney Damion De Santos, who made a bail application on his behalf.
Schultz was also remanded to prison and will also return to court on April 5, in Kwakwani.
