A COUPLE, who were recently “busted” by the Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit (CANU) on Friday, appeared before Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry for trafficking cocaine.TWENTY-nine-year-old business owner Shameeza Bacchus and 38- year- old Ron Reid appeared before Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry,charged with being in possession 70 grams of cocaine,for the purpose of trafficking.
Both defendants denied the allegation,and their lawyer Peter Hugh requested reasonable bail for them.
Hugh in his address to the court explained that Raid assists Bacchus in her business enterprise. However the house that the drug was found is occupied by several occupants and on the alleged date CID ranks entered the home and found the cocaine in a sink.
CANU Prosecutor, Oswald Massiah informed the court that the defendants are in a common- law relationship, and on March 2, ranks came knocking at their door, when the female defendant appeared.
Massiah told the court that when the officers enquired for Reid,Bacchus tried to engage them in conversation,thereby delaying them in gaining access to the house.
The court heard that a rank heard a sudden running of water inside the house and when the officer stormed in, theyfound Reid standing in front of a sink, with four cocaine pellets inside.
Both were taken under caution to CID headquarters, where the substance was weighed and tested in their presence and confirmed to be 70 gramms of the illicit drug. They were arrested and charged.
Defence counsel for Bacchus however questioned her involvement, stating that only one person was in close proximity to the cocaine and she could not have had any knowledge that it was concealed in the sink.
The prosecutor strongly objected to the duo being allowed their pretrial liberty, contending that the reason raised by defence counsel is not ground for bail to be granted.
Bail was refused and the case was transferred to City Magistrate Judy Latchman for March 11.

Pandit charged with embezzling $G1.6M
A SIXTY -four-year-old pandit found himself before Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry on Thursday ,charged with embezzling over $1.6M.
Pandit Krishnanlall Persaud denied the allegation that between July 1 and July 31, being entrusted with USD$8000, property of Navlankar Nohar, he fraudulently converted same to his own use and benefit.
Persaud’s lawyer, Mr.Jerome Khan told that court that his client resides at Area ‘M’ Diamond, East Bank Demerara. Khan noted that Nohar had given his client the money to open his own church while he was staying at Persaud’s home.
The court heard that Nohar had promised the client an undisclosed sum of money, if he provided lodging at his home. The pandit accepted the man’s offer, but however Nohar failed to pay him resulting in him taking his dues.
“The allegation is only to embarrass my client, who has a stellar reputation,” said the lawyer as he informed the court that his client, was placed on $40,000 station bail and has been cooperating with the authorities.
Prosecutor Michael Grant objected to bail citing the amount of money that was allegedly stolen. He also highlighted the prevalence and nature of the offence.
Despite the prosecution’s objections, the magistrate granted the defendant bail in the sum of $125,000.
The pandit was ordered to lodge his passport and report to the Brickdam Police Station every fortnight.
He will make his next court appearance on April 1.