THE ensuing probe into the Guyanese vessel that was held in St Lucia’s waters last week with weapons, drugs and six Guyanese aboard has led to the arrest and subsequent charging of a leading boxing promoter and football advocate in the country. The probe also saw police pulling in for questioning a government consultant on Maritime Affairs. The individual well known to Saint Lucians was released later that same day (Wednesday). He was not charged.
The resulting investigation led to a gun and ammo charge against David ‘Shakes’ Christopher, of Linden, Guyana but of Saint Lucian parentage.
Christopher and his wife were charged by local police with possession of an illegal firearm and ammunition following the investigation into the discovery of the vessel, said by police to be a cargo vessel, and the drugs and ammunition on board.
Christopher, 49 and his 46 year – old wife Mary Clovis Christopher residing at Bois D’Orange, Gros Islet were arrested and taken into police custody when a search of their premises unearthed a .380 pistol along with 14 rounds of ammunition.
The couple were arrested Tuesday and appeared in court Thursday where each was granted bail in the sum of EC$10,000 cash or suitable surety in relation to the charge of possession of a firearm.
With reference to the charge of possession of ammunition, they were both granted bail in the sum of EC $5000 cash or suitable surety.
The two were ordered by the court to surrender their travel documents and report to the Gros Islet Police Station every Friday from 6:00 a.m to 6:00p.m and are not allowed to leave the State without the court’s permission.
The case was adjourned to 12th October, 2011.
Meanwhile the six Guyanese in police custody were expected to be charged soon with a number of charges.
The vessel has been confiscated by police and is under the watch of Vieux Fort police. Found in the vessel were 30 kilos of cocaine, 46 kilos of cannabis, one 12-guage shotgun, 15 rounds of 12-guage ammunition, 35 rounds of 9mm ammunition and five military explosive grenades which were all concealed in a compartment at the extreme front of the ship.
According to police the grenades were the first ever to be found by police whom over the past nine months have confiscated an impressive arsenal of weapons from gang members, students, drug traffickers, robbers, individuals, homes, vehicles etc.
Trevor Constantine, Police Press Relations Officer, Friday in an interview with The VOICE spoke of the different types of caliber of guns confiscated by police, which includes semi-automatic pistols (.380) and (.45), 9mm, 12-guage shotguns, machine guns, hundreds of ammunition, lots of ski masks, etc.
He explained that in March in Bagatelle, police had to dig up a high power firearm, and further in police search for weapons they confiscated a high caliber firearm that could be fired in both semi automatic and automatic modes.