Prison officer granted bail on drug charge
Joananne Erskine
Joananne Erskine

FEMALE Prison Officer Joananne Erskine, 35, of Lot 723 Fort Ordinance Housing Scheme, East Canje, Berbice, appeared before Magistrate Alex Moore, where she pleaded not guilty to a charge of trafficking narcotics.She was granted $150,000 bail after the court was informed that the police drug analyst was on leave, and would resume duty in December, which would mean that the defendant would be denied an early trial.
Further, the court was told that the alleged cannabis was not found on the defendant. Particulars of the charge state that on October 23, 2016 at the New Amsterdam prison, Erskine had in her possession 298 grams of cannabis for the purpose of trafficking.
However, Police Prosecutor Inspector Godfrey Playter noted that the packaged substance was taken from the defendant by another prison officer after she was seen placing it in a bag bay. As a result, a confrontation ensued after which the package was opened and leaves, seeds and stems suspected to be cannabis were discovered.
Meanwhile, shortly after bail was granted, the defendant rushed out of the New Amsterdam Court with upraised hands, declaring that she was ‘free’, while her relatives threw derogatory remarks at those attempting to photograph the defendant .The case is fixed for hearings on December 15, 2016.

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