Five charged with trafficking, four remanded, one hospitalised
POLICE have charged five men implicated in the recent drug bust at Batavia island in the Cuyuni River.
Four of them are Guyanese but only three, Clint Collier, Deonarine Singh and Randolph Singh, together with Venezuelan Luis Alberto Garcia, appeared before Acting Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry yesterday.
The fifth defendant, Terry James, also Guyanese, was not present in court because he is hospitalised.
The four (no addresses given) who made their appearance pleaded not guilty to narcotic trafficking. Particulars of the offence said, on June 9, they had 149 kilogrammes 638 grammes of cocaine for the purpose.
Police Sergeant Vishnu Hunte, prosecuting, told the court that ranks, acting on information received, found a boat at Batavia and the five men were the only persons there.
He said a search of the quartet yielded nothing on their persons but the cocaine was concealed in four containers, with clothing and other personal documentation about all five defendants.
Defence Counsel for Garcia, Mr. Glen Hanoman requested bail on special circumstances, arguing that the defendant was not in actual possession of what was found.
He said the Venezuelan would not be interested in running away from the charge as it has no connection to him.
Mr. Vic Puran, for Deonarine Singh, said the latter was in the wrong place at the wrong time, waiting to seek employment when police conducted the raid.
Puran, who also represented Randolph Singh and Collier, said the two were passengers in the boat and had stopped at Batavia for the captain to eat.
He maintained that there was no evidence or suspicion to charge the two as nothing was found in their possession but in a boat in four sealed barrels.
The defendants were not in the boat at the time of the find, Puran stated.
“Before the court remands people, the court must be satisfied that there is a reason for the charge and what the court just read is a non-charge. The court must act upon a reasonable charge. The facts narrated by the prosecution have no basis,” Puran contended.
But the prosecutor maintained his objection to pre-trial freedom for the defendants, insisting that the state has witnesses who saw the men leaving the boat.
He conceded that there was no actual possession but said evidence would show that there was constructive possession and the case for the prosecution is strong enough to prosecute.
The magistrate ruled that there were no special reasons for granting bail and remanded the defendants to prison until June 20.