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U.S-based Guyanese drug trafficker still to get bail
Yvonne Caesar
Yesterday a Guyanese-American, Yvonne Caesar, 59, appeared before Acting Chief Magistrate Melissa Robertson, on a charge of trafficking in narcotics and was remanded.
On Sunday, the accused allegedly had at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport with 1.kg.235 grams of cocaine for the sole purpose of trafficking.
The visibly shaken woman pleaded not guilty to the charge placed before her.
Representing her in court was Attorney Glen Hanoman, who said that his client, when in Guyana, lives with her children at 14 Beehive, East Bank Demerara, or 30 Nabaclis, East Coast Demerara.
He said that from the time his client was placed in police custody the woman has been ‘assisting them in finding the real culprit’.
“From all information, the person behind this scheme is said to be Rawle Drepaul,” Hanoman stated.
He said on the day in question, while at the Cheddi Jagan Airport, Caesar in the presence of the police revealed the cocaine ‘expertly concealed’ within an album and book cover which were given to her by Drepaul and one of his relatives to take to someone in the U.S.
Hanoman added that his client had no knowledge that the items contained drugs.
Since she travels often between the US and Guyana, she has never been faced with such misfortune before, he added. “Your worship, just this morning the FBI in the US called me questioning about whether I have knowledge of the whereabouts or contact number for Rawle Drepaul, since they are currently looking for him over there.”
“As for my client, she has been cooperating with the police. Your Worship, all I am asking is that she be granted a reasonable amount of bail. She is a diabetic and has to inject herself three times every day to stay alive.”
“At this time I will say that police feel constrained to arrest someone for the (cocaine discovery).”
“The defendant was in police custody for 100 hours, and for the time she has been in custody, she has seen a doctor twice because of her condition.”
According to Hanoman, he is constantly in contact with the Kings County Hospital in Brooklyn, New York to obtain all health and other documents pertaining to Caesar. He assured the court that his client does not pose a flight risk.
I have never seen or heard a case where everybody sees that the defendant is innocent.
Police Prosecutor Sherwin Matthews stated that on the basis of the law under which the defendant was charged, bail can only be granted when there are special circumstances.
Noting that more evidence is still to be heard and seen, Magistrate Robertson refused bail and ordered that Caesar re-appear in court on February 2, 2009.
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