Carpenter gets 48 months’ jail for ganja trafficking

Oct 06, 2016 Court Stories, Features / Columnists, News

Seon Odinga Brammer, the man who had claimed that he admitted ownership of a quantity of marijuana to prevent his mother from going to jail, was yesterday jailed for 48 months’ for trafficking narcotics.
Brammer, 34, a father of two, of Eight Avenue, Diamond Housing Scheme, East Bank Demerara was sentenced by Magistrate Judy Latchman for trafficking 464 grammes of cannabis sativa (marijuana) on May 13, last.
A party of police ranks visited the Diamond address after receiving information that marijuana was being sold at the home. On arrival at the premises ranks met Brammer and his mother Linda Brammer and informed them of their suspicion.
During a search of the home a quantity of marijuana was found under a bed and under a chair cushion. Brammer told police ranks that the illicit substance belonged to him. He was escorted to the Narcotics Branch Criminal Investigation Department (CID) Eve Leary, Georgetown.
During her ruling Magistrate Latchman, informed the court that she disbelieved the case put forward by Brammer. As a result, she said she was forced to rely on the case of the prosecution.
The prosecution had contended that the marijuana was found under a cushion and under a bed police ranks raided the house occupied by Brammer and his mother.
Police Prosecutor, Kerry Bostwick argued that after the drug was unearthed under the chair cushion, police ranks put the allegation of trafficking narcotics to Brammer and he replied. “Yeah yeah the drug is me own. Nobody ain’t know about it but me.” Bostwick said that police ranks also put the same allegation to Brammer after they found more marijuana under a bed and he replied, “I done tell you the weed is me own. Mah mother ain’t know about it.”
The Magistrate stated that based on evidence led by the prosecution she believed that Brammer had knowledge, control and possession of the narcotics. She said that after considering the quantum of the drug, she also believed that Brammer had it for the purpose of trafficking.
Having considered all mitigating factors; the manner in which the drug was concealed; the prevalence of the offence and the need to prevent others from contemplating the commissioning of the offence, Magistrate Latchman imposed the custodial sentence.
Unfortunately, Brammer’s lawyer, Adrian Thompson was not present for the sentencing, since he was said to be stuck in traffic.
At a previous court hearing, Thompson had told the court that a policeman used threats and promised to obtain a confession from his client. Thompson had told the court that his client admitted to owning the illicit drug because Corporal Edu threatened to arrest his 74-year-old mother.
Thompson contended that Brammer was not present in the home when police found the drug. The lawyer told the court that during the Voir Dire (trial within a trial) the prosecutor failed to prove beyond reasonable doubt that the (confession) statements were given voluntarily and asked the court to exclude them from evidence.
Thompson also pointed to several discrepancies and inconsistencies in evidence given by two police witnesses. He stressed that the main reason for the police visiting the premises was to arrest his client’s brother, Rawle Brammer, who was wanted at the time.
However, Prosecutor Bostwick asserted that no forms of inducement, promises or act of force were used to obtain the statements from Brammer. Bostwick added that it was based on Brammer’s response that police decided to arrest and charge him, instead of his mother.
The prosecutor said that Brammer had ample time to make a report against the police while in custody at the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) Headquarters, Eve Leary, but never did so.

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