ORIN Hartman of Kwakwani Park, Berbice River was yesterday remanded to prison by Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan after he was busted with almost five pounds of cannabis in a garbage bag.The 38-year-old logger-cum-shop owner denied that on June 17, while at his Kwakwani Park home, he had in his possession 2220 grams of cannabis for the purpose of trafficking.

Hartman was represented by attorney-at-law Adrian Thompson, who explained that the suspected cannabis was not found on his client, but rather on his premises.

“The police don’t have any evidence indicating that my client had the drug in his possession,” Thompson told the court, as he raised special reason for Hartman to get bail.

Prosecutor Deniro Jones told the court that Hartman had been under the police radar for a while, since they had suspected him of being a drug dealer.
According to Jones, police ranks, during a stake-out at Hartman’s residence, saw him acting in a suspicious manner while standing in front of his home with a black garbage bag in his hands.

Approaching him, the ranks searched the bag and found the leaves, seeds and stems of what looked suspiciously like parts of the marijuana plant. Hartman was arrested and charged for the offence.

The prosecution strongly opposed bail on ground that reasons raised by the lawyer were not substantial enough, as required by the Narcotics Act.
Hartman was refused bail, and the matter was transferred before the Kwakwani magistrate for July 15.