A FEMALE prison officer attached to the Camp Street Prison was on Friday, June 28, 2019, remanded to prison after she was nabbed by her colleagues with $150,000 worth cannabis, which was intended for a prisoner.

Shondell Watson of ‘C’ Field Sophia, Greater Georgetown, appeared before Principal Magistrate, Faith McGusty, at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court.
Particulars of the charge read that on June 27, 2019, at the Camp Street Prison, Georgetown, she had 314 grams of cannabis in her possession for the purpose of trafficking.

The mother of three, who was overcome with emotion, was barely able to say “not guilty” when asked to plead by the magistrate.

Police prosecutor, Ceon Blackman, told the court that, on the day in question, at about 08:20hrs, Watson was on duty and was observed by the Principal Prison Officer acting in a suspicious manner at a portable toilet in the prison.

Watson, Blackman told the court, was observed taking “something” for a prisoner and was contacted by the Principal Prison Officer and searched.

According to the prosecutor, Watson was searched and a parcel, which was wrapped in brown tape, was found stashed in her waist. The parcel was opened in her presence and a quantity of leaves, seeds and stems suspected to be cannabis were found inside.
Blackman told the court that a further search was done on Watson and her handbag was searched. The court was told the more cannabis was found inside of a yellow food bowl, which was in her handbag.

The unrepresented woman told the court that she was being set up by other prison officers and on the day in question, she was searched by the police at the prison and she also said that she had left her handbag to go into the washroom.

However, when she returned, she was told to “brace the wall” and was searched by the Principal Prison Officer. Watson explained that no narcotics were found in her skirt waist, but on the floor nearby.

“I told them y’all ain’t find nothing on me, so don’t pin nothing me,” the woman told the court as she explained that she was strip-searched also.
Watson explained that she was shocked when they claimed to have found a yellow bowl with cannabis in her handbag.

“I didn’t come to work with no yellow bowl… I buy macaroni in a box,” the woman told the magistrate.

Prosecutor Blackman objected to Watson being granted her pretrial liberty on the grounds that the defendant had knowledge and control of the cannabis since it was found in her skirt waist and lunch bowl.

Magistrate McGusty ruled in the prosecutor’s favor and remanded Watson to prison until July 2, 2019, when the matter will be recalled before the Chief Magistrate, Ann McLennan.
Several prison officers have found themselves on the other side of the law in recent times as the authorities clamp down on suspected collusion between the officers and prisoners.
On June 19,2019 Prison Officer, Keon Webster, was charged and remanded to prison for attempting to smuggle 120 grams of cannabis into the Camp Street Prison.

Webster was nabbed with the cannabis inside of his haversack, which was intended to be smuggled to a prisoner at the prison. He appeared before Magistrate McGusty and was remanded to prison until July 10, 2019.