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56 months jail for drug trafficker
A 22-year-old father to be and his friend have been jailed for 56 months on a drug trafficking charge after they were caught red-handed weighing and packaging a quantity of marijuana in a bedroom two months ago.
Julius Joyce, of Middle Road, East La Penitence, and his friend, Ziggy Webster, were caught by a party of police ranks who raided a Middle Road, La Penitence, Georgetown house on November 14, last.
Convicted: Julius Joyce
Inspector Joel Ricknauth, who prosecuted the case, said that Joyce, Webster and Latoya Osborne were the only ones around when the drug was discovered. The men, he said, were on the bed weighing and placing the drug into small zip-lock bags.
The court heard that the ranks rounded up the items and took the three into custody. The substance was later tested and weighed. It amounted to 255 grammes.
The three were initially charged and when they first appeared in court on August 25, last, they pleaded not guilty to the drug trafficking charge.
A trial subsequently got underway and the Magistrate Judy Latchman had ruled that a prima facie case was not made out against the woman. The charge was dismissed against Osborne.
The lengthy sentence was handed down at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court on Friday last, but Webster, previously released on high court bail, had absconded trial and evaded immediate imprisonment.
As she ruled, the Magistrate recalled the defence the 22-year-old had led. Joyce, who represented himself, had stated that he was at home sleeping when he got the phone call from a friend telling him to come by and visit him at Middle Road, La Penitence.
He said it was shortly after he arrived and was conversing with his friends, that the Police raided the premises. Joyce insisted that he had no knowledge of the drug.
Convicted: Ziggy Webster
Ruling Magistrate Latchman said that she believed that he went into the bedroom, that the police ranks raided the room and informed him that he would be charged for drug trafficking.
She noted, however, that he had never denied weighing the drug and said that the court had counted on the testimonies of the two police witnesses in the matter.
She related that the one of the ranks, Detective Constable Eastman, had told the court that when they arrived at the premises the bedroom door was ajar and he peeped in.
Eastman observed them weighing and packaging the drug before entering the room. When the ranks checked, they found the illegal drug on the bed; some already packaged off.
The Magistrate said that she considered whether the men had control of the drug and had believed Eastman who testified that they were weighing and packaging it. She said that given the weight of the drug and their actions, there was no doubt that it was intended for trafficking.
They were found guilty as charged.
During mitigation, Inspector Ricknauth revealed that there was no record of Joyce ever being charged or convicted.
Trembling, the 22-year-old said that he was involved in a common law relationship and his first child is expected next month.
Ruling, Magistrate Latchman mulled over the seriousness and prevalence of drug trafficking in society. She has considered too the quantity and street value of the drug which was $127,500.
Joyce was sentenced to prison and fined $382,500 – three times the street value of the drug. Webster too will be subjected to the same punishment if caught by the police.
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