GORDON Rohlehr nicknamed ‘Major’ was, yesterday, sentenced to three years imprisonment and fined $30,000 for trafficking in three grammes of cocaine, at his Smythfield, New Amsterdam, Berbice home.
Magistrate Omeyana Hamilton convicted him at the New Amsterdam Court, where defence counsel Mursulene Bacchus gave notice that an appeal has been filed and requested bail for the prisoner but it was disallowed.
Rohlehr was nabbed in a Police operation, led by Assistant Superintendent Ian Amsterdam, on July 11, 2008.
In his evidence, Amsterdam said, following receipt of certain information, he marked two $100 bills and five $20 ones, with his initials, prior to making an entry in the Central Police Station Diary.
He said the money was used in a planned raid at the convict’s house, where he went, in company with Detective Constable Reynolds.
The witness said he asked a young man who agreed to act as a decoy and was given the marked notes.
Amsterdam said, at 23:15 hrs, he was in a parked motor car adjacent to Rohlehr’s residence, from where he observed the defendant’s activities on his verandah.
The witness said he spoke to the defendant, handed him the cash for the drug and switched places with Reynolds, in whose hand Rohlehr placed the cocaine.
After alerting the occupants to the police presence, the defendant’s wardrobe was searched and the money was found in a red and black plastic bag.