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DPP’s move to seize $9M from Barry Dataram…Magistrate seeks advice from High Court on way forward
Magistrate Judy Latchman is seeking advice from the High Court on how to proceed in the matter
Convicted Drug Trafficker: Barry Dataram
for which the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) is moving to seize $9M, suspected to be proceeds from a criminal enterprise, belonging to Barry Dataram, a convicted drug trafficker, and his brother Troy Dataram.
Last November, an attorney from the chambers of the DPP made an application before the Magistrate to have the assets forfeited. The application was granted by the court which was supposed to effect service on November 25, 2016.
However, attorney Glenn Hanoman, who is representing the parties, raised objections during which he contended that the matter should be dealt with by the High Court, since the Magistrate’s Court has no jurisdiction to handle it.
But an attorney from the DPP’s chambers, at an earlier court date, laid over submissions which supported that the matter can be disposed of at the Magistrate’s Court.
During a brief court hearing yesterday, Magistrate Latchman disclosed that she will be seeking advice from the High Court as it relates to procedure. She then adjourned the matter until March 20, for reports.
Based on reports, the Special Organized Crime Unit (SOCU) was in possession of the money after it was found by Customs Anti Narcotics Unit ranks during the raid of a house occupied by Dataram at 661 Fourth Avenue, Block ‘X’ Diamond, East Bank Demerara, on April 16, 2016. During the raid some 129.23Kg of cocaine was found. Dataram was hauled before the court and sentenced to 60 months imprisonment and fined $164,268,000, after being convicted for trafficking narcotics.
Last month, Dataram was given an additional three years jail term for possession of illegal ammunition. In that same month, he pleaded guilty to charges of attempting to defeat the administration of justice; forging Republic of Guyana Passports and departing Guyana without presenting himself to immigration officers.
He was sentenced to a total of two years and 24 months in prison on the three charges.
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