The owner of Sweet Sunnah Guyana, on Thursday took the witness stand to lead his defence before Magistrate Rondell Weaver in the trial for two charges set to begin this year.
Businessman Aundre Singh, who is currently serving a sentence for possessing and trafficking cocaine, on Thursday testified that firearms and ammunition found at his property belonged to a tenant, whom he says never resurfaced after the discovery.
Singh, of Lot 779 Section B, Block X, Diamond Housing Scheme, is currently serving a three-and-a-half year prison sentence after he and another man, Clifford Gouveia, 60, were found guilty of trafficking over 12 pounds in 2018. He was also sentenced to one year in jail for possession of 6.6 grammes of cocaine.
Singh is on trial for the alleged possession of 13 rounds of .32 ammunition and eight rounds of 9 mm ammunition and the possession of two guns—.32 and .38-calibre weapons— without being the holder of a firearm licence, on the same date and at the same location.
In testimony on Thursday, Singh told the court that the keys to his home were taken by Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit officers from his vehicle to gain access to his residence in order to conduct a search.
He said the search began in the bedroom of the lower flat, where an undisclosed amount of money was found. Singh, who occupied the lower flat, noted that he was questioned by the officers about where the cash came from, to which he stated that it represented sales from his business, Sweet Sunnah Guyana. The money was taken and the search of the lower flat continued but nothing else was found, he noted.
According to Singh, the officers proceeded to the upper flat, where they searched the first bedroom but came up empty-handed. He said they then proceeded to the second bedroom but were unable to gain access with the keys provided.
Singh noted that the room was occupied by a Spanish tenant and he did not have a key for it. The tenant’s name was given. He noted that the officers went ahead and broke the lock and afterward they told him that guns and ammunition were found in the room.
Singh told the CANU officers that the items did not belong to him but to the person renting the room. He added that he saw the tenant the previous day but has not seen him again after the search.
The officers then proceeded to check the third room, which was rented to another individual. This room also had a lock. The lock was broken by the officers but nothing was found in the room.
As a result of the search, Singh was taken to the police station and charged.
The trial is scheduled to continue on March 12.
