CHARLES Mc Leod, a Guyanese teaching Language Arts in French Guiana, was freed on a narcotics trafficking charge after a no-case submission was upheld by Corentyne Magistrate Krishendat Persaud at the Springlands Court.
Initially, the Guyanese national was denied bail and remanded to prison since commission of the alleged offence on August 9, last.
However, he was subsequently granted $1M bail following a bail review last Friday, after his lawyer stated that his incarceration would render him incapable of fulfilling his contract, and that the main witness was repeatedly absent.
According to the prosecution’s case, presented by Police Inspector Michael Grant, cops were patrolling along the Princetown public road, Skeldon, Upper Corentyne, when they stopped motor hire car HC 497 in which there were four occupants, including the defendant.
The passengers were asked to disembark at the road block with their bags, where police identified a striped, multi-coloured bag as that owned by the defendant.
When searched, the bag allegedly contained a black synthetic sack in which was held a Madras curry powder container, from which five plastic packets containing leaves, seeds and stems were unearthed.
The travellers were arrested and taken to Springlands Police Station, where the suspected portions of the illegal plant were weighed and recorded as 460 grammes.
In his submissions, Defence Counsel Charrandas Persaud said his client had no case to answer, since the prosecution had failed to prove its case beyond a reasonable doubt, in that no exhibits had being submitted to prove that his client had the illegal plant in his possession.
Mc Leod, a married father of three, is a resident of French Guiana, but would dwell with his parents at Nabacalis, East Coast Demerara whenever he visits his homeland.
The trained teacher is contracted by the French Government to impart English Language to its citizens.