Assistant Prison Officer jailed for introducing narcotic there
AN Assistant Prison Officer was sentenced to three years in jail last Friday, after Magistrate Adela Nagamootoo found him guilty of introducing a narcotic to the New Amsterdam Prison. Twenty–two-year-old Alfred George, of Lot 43 Stanleytown, New Amsterdam, Berbice, will also have to serve another three-year sentence, concurrently, for being in  possession of four and a half grammes of cannabis (marijuana) on February 19, 2008.
George, who had joined the Guyana Prison Service (GPS) less than six months prior to the committing of the offences, was nabbed during a sting operation.
Evidence at his trial revealed that the illegal drug was found concealed in his socks.
When the cases were called, initially, before then Magistrate Ramroop, on February 25, 2008, the police prosecutor had objected to bail for George, citing the nature and gravity of the offences.
However, Defence Counsel Rohan Chandan argued that the defendant had never been charged with any crime previously, the quantity of the drug mentioned in the particulars did not amount to trafficking and, as such, the offences were bailable.
Among other issues raised by the lawyer was that George had a right to be at the institution, as it was his place of employment and that his constitutional rights were breached, because he was kept in custody for more than 72 hours.
Following an order by Magistrate Ramroop, Officer Hazel, who was in charge of the prison, reported that, whenever law enforcement officers are remanded, they are exempted from the area occupied by the prison populace and George was promised a speedy trial.