–to save pregnant wife’s life

A 32-year-old labourer was on Wednesday sentenced to 18 months imprisonment, and fined over $800,000, after admitting to selling cannabis to care for his pregnant wife.

Clarence France, of Maria Henrietta Village, on the Upper Berbice River, appeared before Chief Magistrate Ann Mc Lennan, via zoom, at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court.

He admitted that on September 20, 2021, at Jonestown, Kwakwani, Linden, he had 536 grams of cannabis in his possession for the purpose of trafficking.

According to reports, on the day in question, police went to the home of France’s wife and contacted him.  The ranks conducted a search on the premises and found a haversack with the narcotics inside.

Under caution, France told the police that he bought the cannabis for $15,000 and sold it to take care of his pregnant wife and their unborn child.

According to France, during a visit to the Kwakwani Hospital, doctors could not find his baby’s heartbeat but everything was fine with his wife.

However, when they went home, his wife complained of feeling unwell. France said that he reached out to a “bush doctor” who told him that his wife was “trapped by water.”

The man, according to France, said that he could treat the woman for $40,000. Being under financial pressure, France said he decided to take a “chance” and began selling cannabis.

“I just take a chance to save my girl’s life,” France told the Chief Magistrate as he pleaded for mercy and leniency.

The Chief Magistrate sentenced France to 18 months in prison along with a fine of $804,000.