A CHARLESTOWN food vendor was last Friday remanded to prison by Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry on a charge of possession of cocaine for the purpose of trafficking.The allegation against Keith Messiah is that on February 12 at Georgetown, he had 10 grammes of cocaine for the purpose of trafficking.

Messiah denied the allegation and Attorney-at-Law Adrian Thompson who represented the vendor told the court that the defendant was riding a motorcycle and was stopped and searched by a police rank on the day in question.
According to Police Prosecutor Michael Grant, on the day in question at around 19:30 hrs, police acting on information received stopped the man and requested to conduct a search. The police reportedly found a plastic bag which contained the illicit substance. The defendant was told of the offence and was arrested and charged.
The prosecutor objected to bail being granted on the grounds of the nature, gravity and prevalence of the charge and the fact that no special reason was raised by the defence counsel.
Bail was refused and the matter was transferred to Magistrate Fabayo Azore’s court.