A Guyana Defence Force (GDF) rank appeared before Magistrate Judy Latchman on Monday at the Georgetown Magistrate’s Court, charged with possession of narcotics for the purpose of trafficking.

The 25-year-old Private, Troyston Cort pleaded not guilty to the charge, which alleged that on March 23, 2017, at Stabroek Market, Georgetown, he had 15 grams of cannabis in his possession.

According to Prosecutor, Shawn Gonsalves, on the day in question, police on patrol in the Stabroek Market area saw the defendant acting in a suspicious manner and conducted a search on him.

A quantity of marijuana was found in his pants pockets while more of the illegal substance was found in some zip-loc bags in his backpack. Magistrate Latchman released Cort on $70,000 bail and adjourned the matter until April 10, 2017.