A 50-year-old man on Tuesday collapsed at the Christianburg Magistrate’s Court in Linden after he, along with his friends, were each jailed for three years and fined $4M for cultivating marijuana.

Conrad Hackette, 50, of 360 Toucan Drive, South Ruimveldt, Georgetown; Paul Coleman, 49, of ‘E’ Field, Sophia and Dexter DaSilva were jointly on trial for cultivation and trafficking of marijuana.

The charge read that, on September 19th 2015, they were cultivating 53 of the prohibited plants at Yaruni, Demerara River, and also had eight grams of the same substance in their possession for the purpose of trafficking.

At the sentencing on Tuesday, Magistrate Clive Nurse told the defendants, who initially pleaded not guilty, that having considered the evidence brought before it, the court found them guilty. The evidence included the equipment used for cultivating, and the substance that was being cultivated.

Their attorney pleaded for the minimum penalty to be enforced, as they are first time offenders and have families that they provide for, but Magistrate Nurse said the court does consider their situation and therefore the minimum penalty of three years for each offence would be served concurrently.

Dexter DaSilva was, however, charged in absentia, as he has escaped from lawful custody.