FIFTY-three-year-old Errol Keilar of Lot 47 Norton Street, Wortmanville, Georgetown appeared yesterday before Georgetown Magistrate Ann McLennan on a drug trafficking charge and was refused bail.Keilar pleaded not guilty to the offence, which alleged that on Monday, February 3, at Norton Street, Wortmanville, he had possession of 176 grammes of cannabis sativa (marijuana) for the purpose of trafficking.

Police Corporal Dinero Jones, prosecuting, said the police acted on information, went to Keilar’s home, indentified themselves, and requested permission to conduct a search on the premises.

He said that, in Keilar’s presence, the prohibited substance was found in the second bedroom of the top flat of the house.

Attorney-at-law, Mr. Mark Waldron, representing the defendant, made a bail application for his client, stating that he is a truck driver to whom the United States-based property owner had given responsibility to take care of the property.

Waldron said a search of the property had been conducted in the absence of his client, the results of which the police have said yielded a parcel of leaves, seeds and stems suspected to be the illegal substance cannabis satia. Counsel said multiple occupants reside in the home and therefore there is no prima facie evidence against Keilar.

Magistrate McLennan responded that defence counsel had not stated any special reason why Keilar, a father of one, should be admitted to bail.
Keilar was therefore remanded to prison until February 17, when the case would next be called.
Written By Geeta Rampersaud