POLICE Constable Antonio Balrup, who was previously refused bail in a Magistrate’s Court, secured the grant, for $200,000, from Acting Chief Justice Ian Chang, in Berbice High Court on Wednesday. The defendant is charged with being in illegal possession of 17 grammes cannabis (marijuana) last December 3 but was denied pre-trial freedom when he appeared before Magistrate Omeyana Hamilton on December 8, at Reliance Court, Canje
In the petition, before the judge, the policeman’s father, Kirpal Singh Balrup, said his son was in custody for five days prior to his first Court appearance and that was in excess of the 72 hours allowed by law.
The petitioner claimed the defendant is alleged to have had an amount of the narcotic which constitutes special reason to be granted bail.
Alternatively, the special reasons provided in Section 94 of the Narcotics Act are only binding on magistrates and not judges of the High Court and that the main consideration is whether the defendant would attend his trial, the petitioner stated.
At the December 8 hearing, Magistrate Hamilton had turned down the bail application by Defence Counsel Mursulene Bacchus and adjourned the case to December 29.
The Prosecutor, Police Corporal Roberto Figueira had stated that Balrup was no longer a member of the Guyana Police Force (GPF) but could produce no documentation to confirm it.
Balrup was arrested, allegedly, with portions of the prohibited plant, during a raid at the East Canje home of a man remanded on an arms and ammunition charge.