A TWENTY-two-year-old miner was on Monday remanded to prison by Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry for possession of narcotics.

Troy Gordon of Lot 52 Fifth Avenue Bartica, was slapped with the charge which stated on April 9 at Arau Backdam, he had 71 grammes of cocaine and 26 grammes of cannabis for the purpose of trafficking. He however denied the charge.
Gordon’s lawyer, Latchmie Rahamat, told the court that her client is the father of a nine-month-old baby. The lawyer explained that the defendant was alone at his camp, when it is alleged that the police during a raid at a neighboring camp fonnd the illicit drug and tried to pin it on his client, because he was the only person in close proximity to the camp. The narcotics were not found at his camp nor in his possession.
However, Police Prosecutor Corporal Bharrat Mangru explained that ranks on patrol searched the defendant during a routine exercise and the illicit drugs were found in a haversack that was on Gordon’s back. Thus he was arrested and charged.
The prosecutor objected to bail on the grounds of the seriousness and prevalence of the offence, further elaborating that the special reasons raised by the attorney are not sufficiently convincing for bail to be granted, citing that defence counsel’s version varies.
Bail was refused and the matter was transferred to the Kamarang Magistrates’ Court for June 15.