Principal Magistrate Judy Latchman on Wednesday sentenced a 46-year-old Canal Number Two , West Bank Demerara farmer to a three year jail term  along with a fine of $30,000 for attempting to bribe a Customs Anti -Narcotics Unit (CANU) officer for his release from a drug trafficking charge.

Rajesh Kissoondyal known as “Paddle” confessed that on  January, 5 , 2018 at Homestretch Avenue Georgetown, he offered Lyndon Thompson, a CANU Officer, the sum of $1, 495,000 for his release from a drug trafficking charge.

He was charged jointly with his cousin, Shamkumar Hariprashad for the drug offence but took the rap on the grounds that the charge be dismissed against his relative.

CANU prosecutor, Kunyo Sandiford explained that on January 5, 2018 , Kissoondyal was arrested for allegedly trafficking 48.554 kilograms of cocaine in sheets of plywood wood between  April 1,  2016 and the  April 21, 2016 at Lot 37 Yarrowkabra Linden Soesdyke Highway, East Bank Demerara. The matter is ongoing regarding the trafficking of the illicit substance.

The prosecutor noted that Kissoondyal , who was arrested at a funeral earlier this year , told the arresting officer Thompson ,“give me a chance na.  … I gon give you a million dollar” . He said the farmer was subsequently taken to CANU headquarters at Homestretch Avenue.

It was disclosed that Kissoondyal made a call to Hariprashad to bring the money in a black plastic bag to CANU headquarters and later handed it over to officer Thompson.

Magistrate Latchman considered Kissoondyal’s  early guilty plea and the need to prohibit others from contemplating such offences and passed down sentencing .