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Man confesses to trafficking narcotics, but pleads not guilty

Nov 28, 2008 News

Twenty-four-year-old Timothy Badal, of Lot 193 Middle Road, La Penitence, was remanded to prison on Wednesday after he pleaded not guilty to drugs possession.

When he made his first court appearance before Magistrate Hazel-Octive Hamilton, yesterday, he had been arrested for possession of three kilograms of cocaine for the sole purpose of trafficking in narcotics.
He was nabbed at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport, Timehri.

Badal, who was represented by attorney-at-law Euclin Gomes, initially confessed in the absence of his lawyer, but later changed the plea. He was an outgoing passenger en route to Barbados when he was arrested and charged with the offence.

According to special CANU Prosecutor, Oswald Massiah, the accused was about to board Liat flight L1778, when a suitcase that had been scanned appeared to have some suspicious substances and “objects”.

Badal was called to identify the suitcase by CANU officials, but denied it was his. The defendant was subsequently arrested and taken in for additional questioning.

The prosecution further stated that the suitcase was checked in the presence of Badal and the drugs found.
Badal in his defence told CANU officials that he was taking the suitcase with the illegal substance to Barbados, where he would have received US$7,000.

He added, “It was to be delivered to a taxi driver after taking out his personal belongings.” Badal reportedly told officials that he has a friend in Barbados who told him that he was making arrangements for him getting a job over there.

He said, “The man was going to put him on to a guy” and that this was going to make things easier for him traveling. “I was going there to get a job.”

Midway through the hearing, Gomes arrived and after collaborating with his client, the confession ended and the plea was changed to not guilty.

He told the court that his client is entitled to change his plea because at the time he was unaware of the full consequences of his plea and he was not represented by an attorney.

Magistrate Octive-Hamilton granted the application but refused bail and transferred the matter to the Providence Magistrate’s Court for December 5.

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