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Man remanded for ‘smuggling’ ganja into prison

May 16, 2008 News

– fined $5,000 for violation with cigarettes

A construction worker was yesterday remanded to prison after he was caught trying to smuggle 38 grams of marijuana and five packs of cigarettes into the Camp Street Prisons on May 13, last.
The accused, 44-year-old Wellington Holder, made his appearance at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court before Principal Magistrate Melissa Robertson-Ogle.

Holder pleaded guilty to the charge of smuggling the cigarettes and not guilty to the cannabis charge.
The man, who hails from Non Pareil, East Coast Demerara, told the court that he was employed as a construction worker and at the time he was carrying out works on a building within the prisons compound.
In his own defence he told the court that on the day in question he purchased the cigarettes and was taking them into the compound to put into his tool box.

When asked by the Magistrate if he would normally smoke five packs of cigarettes in one day he replied, “Your worship I can’t afford to buy one pack of cigarette a day so when I get pay I does buy like five or six fuh last me de whole week. I had them in me pants pocket and dem search me and find it,” Holder said.
He however said he has no knowledge about the cannabis which was found.

Police Prosecutor Sherwin Matthews told the court that on the day in question the accused, while entering the Capital Division, was searched and the items were found in his pants crotch.

Considering the seriousness of the offence the prosecution asked that bail be refused. The Magistrate then ruled in favour of the prosecution.

On the cannabis charge he was refused bail and for pleading guilty for the cigarettes charge he was fined $5,000 with an alternative of one month in prison.

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