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Barry Dataram, wife and friends to know fate over Diamond drug bust
Magistrate Judy Latchman is expected to make a ruling in the matter for which accused drug trafficker, Barry Dataram, and three other persons including his reputed wife, are charged for the possession of a large quantity 
of cocaine for the purpose of trafficking .
During a brief hearing yesterday, Magistrate Latchman told the court she will make a ruling on whether a prima facie case was made against Dataram and his co-accused on the next occasion.
As such, she ordered the accused persons to return to court September 20 at 1:30 pm, when it is expected that they will know their fate.
Dataram, a self professed businessman, his reputed wife and their two friends were hauled before the courts in April last year after authorities linked them to a large quantity of cocaine discovered at a house in Diamond, East Bank Demerara.
The Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit stormed a house in Diamond, East Bank Demerara.
Dataram, also known as ‘Mogotani’ or Kevin Dataram, of 13 Vriesland, West Bank Demerara; his reputed wife, Anjanie Boodnarine, 19, of 79 Patentia, Housing Scheme, West Bank Demerara; Komal Charran, 20, of 265 Belle West, West Bank Demerara; and Trevor Gouveia of Best Village, West Coast Demerara, had all pleaded not guilty to a drug trafficking charge.
According to the allegation, on April 16, last, at 661 Fourth Avenue, Block X Diamond, East Bank Demerara, they allegedly had 129.23 kg of cocaine in their possession for the purpose of trafficking.
On the day in question, ranks from the Customs Anti Narcotic Unit (CANU) swooped down on the house and conducted a search in the presence of the defendants. During the search they unearthed the illicit drug.
It was reported that some of the cocaine was stuffed in frozen seafood, while the remainder was found to be bricks of raw coke.
As a result, Barry Dataram who was in the house at the time of the bust with his reputed wife and three other persons were arrested. The defendants were then told of the offence, arrested and charged.
Dataram, a Guyana-born American, had successfully fought off efforts to extradite him to the United States of America to face drug smuggling charges.
Several witnesses have since testified in the trial which is ongoing before Magistrate Judy Latchman. During a previous court hearing, Dataram had angrily called Customs Anti Narcotic Unit (CANU) officer, Andrew Yarde, a liar. The alleged drug trafficker was at the time responding to a testimony given by Yarde.
The CANU officer testified that 428 parcels of plastic wraps with suspected cocaine were seized from Dataram’s home at Diamond East Bank Demerara.
He added that the suspected drug was in a white fridge.
The fridge, he said, was driven to CANU Headquarters, Homestretch Avenue, Georgetown by him in a CANU vehicle.
The witness recalled that the fridge was parked in CANU compound which is secured by concrete fence with razor wires and CCTV cameras.
In response to questions CANU Prosecutor Konyo Sandiford-Thompson, the witness, said he had never conducted any raid pertaining to Dataram prior to the charge he is now facing.
But Dataram claimed that the detective is a liar. He claimed that Yarde had conducted a raid on him before and accused the detective of stealing his money.
Further questioned by Prosecutor Sandiford-Thompson, Yarde recounted that he was watching a television newscast in the latter part of February when he saw Travis Chase doing an interview with Dataram.
He said that during the interview, Dataram confessed to being a drug dealer and said that half of the drugs CANU seized from him are back on the streets.
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