Britisher jailed for four years, fined $30,000
A BRITISH national was sentenced to four years imprisonment and fined $30,000 yesterday, for drug trafficking. St. Clair Akoto, 25, was convicted by Acting Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry after he pleaded guilty to the charge, which said, on June 22, at Cheddi Jagan International Airport, he trafficked in 484 grammes of cocaine.
Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit (CANU) Special Prosecutor Oswald Massiah said the defendant had previously visited Guyana several times.
On this occasion, the Britisher entered the country on May 27 and was at the airport on June 22, with the intention of going to England via St. Maarten.
The convict was checking in at the airport when a CANU officer observed him acting in a suspicious manner and questioned him but he denied having cocaine.
The prosecutor said Akoto told the officer his reason for being uneasy was because he had smoked marijuana the night before.

Further conversation
The prosecutor said after further conversation the CANU officer’s suspicion was aroused again and he asked the defendant if he would agree to be medically examined.
Massiah said Akoto agreed to be medical examined and an x-ray at a city hospital revealed foreign objects in his stomach, prior to the defendant excreting what an analyst confirmed to be 34 cocaine pellets with the weight stated in the charge.
Akoto said he is a freelance film maker and financial difficulties caused him to make an irrational decision.
He agreed it was a bad mistake and he is willing to face the consequence but begged the court to show some leniency when sentencing him.
Before pronouncing sentence, the magistrate enquired his reason for travelling to Guyana on the several occasions and Akoto said he is in a relationship with a Guyanese girl and visits her frequently.