CANU officer testifies to searching defendants during drug bust

May 06, 2017 News

Mario Mickle, an officer attached to the Customs Anti Narcotics Unit (CANU) has testified to searching Clinton Chase and Oliver Bazilio during a raid on a home located at Lot 261 Blue Sackie Drive, South Ruimveldt.

Clinton Chase and Keith Bazilio

Chase, 66, of East Ruimveldt Housing Scheme, Georgetown; Oliver Bazilio, 32, and his father Keith Bazilio, both of the aforementioned address and Shemroy Robertson, 32, of Lot 101 Mandela Avenue, Georgetown are currently on trial for allegedly having 4.7 kilograms of marijuana in their possession for the purpose of trafficking.
Oliver Bazilio was charged separately for possession of 10 grams of marijuana while Robertson was also charged alone for possession of 440 grammes of marijuana for the purpose of trafficking. The defendants have pleaded not guilty to the charges.
A release from CANU stated that on March 6, ranks acting on information went to Lot 261 Blue Sackie Drive, South Ruimveldt and conducted a search during which a parcel of bulk marijuana was found in a wardrobe.
When the trial continued before Magistrate Judy Latchman, Mickle recalled visiting the South Ruimveldt, Georgetown home accompanied by other CANU ranks during which he searched Chase and Oliver Bazilio. According to the witness, he asked Chase to empty his pants pocket from where a quantity of local currency, a cell phone, a rag and a pocket knife were retrieved.

REMANDED: Shemroy Robertson

Mickle said that he also searched Oliver Bazilio. “I asked (Oliver Bazilio) to empty his pants pocket. In his possession he had some Guyanese currency, one cell phone, a yellow plastic bag containing a leaves, seeds and stems which I suspected to be cannabis.”
After collecting the articles from the defendants, the witness told the court that he placed them in a transparent plastic bag.
Mickle recounted that he told Oliver Bazilio that he is being charged for possession of narcotics and notified him that he was still under caution.
Chase and Oliver Bazilio, the witness said, were then escorted to the upper flat of the building and placed in custody.
He added that CANU officer Reynolds searched a room located on the western side of the upper flat of the building during which he asked Oliver Bazilio if the articles inside of a wardrobe belonged to him.
The witness stated that Oliver Bazilio replied in the affirmative. He further stated, “I noticed a black plastic bag containing leaves, seeds and stems suspected to be cannabis. I was then instructed by Officer Reynolds to escort Keith Bazilio to a room located on the eastern side of the upper flat of the building…”
Additionally, Robertson begged to be released on bail citing the fact that his co-defendants have been granted pre-trial liberty.
When asked by Magistrate Latchman if she had any objections to the defendant being admitted to bail, CANU prosecutor Konyo Sandiford replied in the affirmative. Prosecutor Konyo disclosed that a bail petition for Robertson was refused in the High Court and that she will continue to rely on the same objections she raised at the first court hearing.
Magistrate Latchman further remanded Robertson to prison until May 15, when the matter will be called again.
Last year May, Robertson was committed to stand trial at the High Court in Georgetown for being in possession of 1.156 kilograms of cannabis for the purpose of trafficking. According to facts, CANU ranks were in operation on the day in question, when Chase surrendered to ranks having exited a motorcar driven by Robertson.
Robertson drove off and CANU officer, Andrew Yarde, drove up beside him on Bent Street, Werk en-Rust. Yarde told Robertson to pull over, but he did not comply and a bag was soon after, thrown out from the vehicle.
While evading the police, Robertson became involved in an accident and was later found hiding in a house on Mandela Avenue.

Discover more from Kaieteur News

Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.

Latest News