An elderly woman was yesterday remanded to prison by Acting Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry for trafficking in narcotics.
US citizen Maxine Batts, 65, of 61 Eastern Park, New York City, pleaded not guilty to the charge, which stated that on January 11, at Garden of Eden, East Bank Demerara, she had nine kilogrammes (490 grammes) of cocaine in her possession for the purpose of trafficking. Police Sergeant Lionel Harvey, prosecuting, said police, acting on information, intercepted a car HB 8912 on the East Bank Public Road. He said the defendant, along with the driver, was the only occupant of the vehicle.
Harvey said a search was conducted and police suspected that the illegal substance was hidden in a wheelchair in the trunk of the vehicle.
He said police took the defendant along with the wheelchair to the Criminal Investigation Department, where a further search was conducted and the cocaine was found in nine parcels in the seat and back of the wheelchair.
The prosecutor objected to bail as no special reason was given by the defendant as to why bail should be considered.
The defendant, seated in a wheelchair, told the court that she knew nothing about the allegation. She claimed that she met people in Guyana and came to visit.
Batts said the people appeared to be nice to her and when she was arrested, “they just leave me flat”.
The woman was remanded until February 7.