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Brazilian pastor, two others busted with ganja
A Brazilian pastor and a domestic worker were among those persons charged with trafficking in narcotics,
Marceo Leandro
and appeared before Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry on Tuesday at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts.
Pastor Marceo Leandro, 52, and Mahdi De Souza, 28, both of Arusaopeiro Oscar Ferreira, Boa Vista, Brazil, along with Jessica Perreira, 21, a domestic worker, denied the allegation which alleged that on March 27, at Lethem, they had 3300 grams of cannabis in their possession for the purpose of trafficking.
Throughout the hearing the defendants were afforded the services of an interpreter.
According to Police Prosecutor, Corporal Bharrat Mangru, on the day in question, the police at Lethem were carrying out their routine searches, when they stopped and searched a Brazilian registered vehicle which was proceeding to the neighbouring Portuguese-speaking country.
The police found four black plastic bags strapped with transparent scotch tape under the driver’s seat. A closer check of the bags revealed a quantity of leaves, seeds and stems suspected to be cannabis. The police also found a purse belonging to Perriera that contained R$5,000, which is equivalent to G$500,000. The money, Mangru said, is currently lodged at the Lethem Police Station.
Mangru added that the defendants were told of the offence but they remained silent. They were subsequently arrested and charged.
Defence Counsel Latchmie Rahamat made a bail application on behalf of the trio. She affirmed that special
Mahdi De Souza
reasons exist for her clients to be released on bail. According to the Attorney, the defendants would usually travel from Boa vista to Lethem every weekend to do their usual shopping.
Counsel said that her clients parked their vehicle on the Guyana side of the border, left it unlocked and went shopping. After completing their shopping they returned to the vehicle but never noticed anything strange inside.
While proceeding back to Brazil, they were stopped by the police and a search was carried out on the vehicle. It was then that the suspected narcotic was found, Rahamat argued.
Despite the quantum of drugs mentioned in the charge, the lawyer requested reasonable bail for the defendants. She said that the prosecution will not be able to prove the evidence in the matter, since the bag containing the illicit substance does not belong to her clients.
Further, Counsel asserted that the defendants have no intention of absconding and if granted bail, they will return to court to stand trial.
Rahamat asked the magistrate to use her discretion, while informing the court that her clients are willing to accept bail under any special conditions.
However, the prosecutor contradicted most of counsel’s submissions. He insisted that the defendants be remanded to prison. Corporal Mangru contended that the defendants are all flight risks; since they are
Jessica Perriera
Brazilian nationals with no ties to Guyana and there is likelihood that if granted bail, they might not return to court.
Additionally, he cited the seriousness, prevalence and penalty the offence attracts if the defendants are to be convicted.
The prosecution’s objections were upheld and the trio was refused bail and remanded to prison.
After being informed that her bail application was refused, the lawyer then requested that the money lodged at the station be returned to her client. The magistrate then made inquiries with the prosecutor about the money.
The matter was transferred to the Lethem Magistrate’s Court, for June 1.
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