Solider remanded on drug trafficking charge

Dec 01, 2015 Court Stories, Features / Columnists, News

A solider appeared before Magistrate Fabayo Azore yesterday at Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts, after he was accused of having in his possession 278 grams of cannabis for trafficking.

Nicholas James

Lance Corporal, Nicholas James, 33, from the Infantry One Division located in Timehri, pleaded not guilty to the charge which stated that on November 27, last, at Timehri, he had the illicit substance in his tenure.
According to Police Prosecutor, Corporal Simone Payne, the defendant was stopped and searched by police, after he was observed acting in a suspicious manner. She said that the drug was found concealed inside a bag that was on his back.
Attorney, Jerome Khan requested that James be granted bail in a reasonable sum. He told the court that his client has served the country for over 14 years and he is not a flight risk. The lawyer explained that on the day in question, his client was sent to Timehri to collect some articles.
Khan told the court that while making his way to the destination, James saw several men off-loading beverages at a shop. At that time, the lawyer said, that the police were conducting patrol duties in the area. He said that upon seeing the police, the men ran away leaving a bag behind.
Khan added that the police searched the bag and found the narcotic inside and placed the allegation to his client.
According to Khan, James of Lot 104 South Better Hope, East Coast Demerara has denied any knowledge of the bag and its contents.
The Attorney pleaded with the Magistrate that Nicholas be granted bail citing special reasons. He argued that they were several persons in the area, prior to the police search and anyone of them could have dropped the bag. He also contended that no tests were conducted on the drug to prove that it was marijuana.
On this note, Khan also pleaded with the court to have his client detained at Camp Ayanganna under the jurisdiction of the Guyana Defence Force (GDF), where he can be tried. However, the request was declined by the Magistrate and James was ordered held at the Camp Street, prison.
The matter was then transferred to Court One on December 7.