Hotel owner charged for Lethem drug bust, attempted police bribe

Apr 09, 2019 News

The alleged drugs found

The owner of Marlon and Sons Hotel and Bar was yesterday hauled before a city magistrate. Police ranks of the Lethem Police Station conducted a sting operation which led to Marlon Jarvis’s arrest for a drug bust and alleged bribery.

Marlon Jarvis appeared before the Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan in the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts where the three charges were read to him and he denied all.

It was alleged that on April 3, 2019 at Tabatinga Lethem, Jarvis had in his possession 53.74 kilo of cannabis and 1.59 kilo of cocaine for the purpose of trafficking.

The last charge alleged that on April 3, 2019 at Tabatinga Lethem, Jarvis attempted to pervert the course of justice by handing over to Samuel Chapman $180, 000 to drop the narcotics investigation.

Jarvis was represented by attorney-at-law Jerome Khan who entered an unsuccessful bail application for his client.

According to the attorney, the accused is 44 years old from 100 Tabatinga Lethem. He is the father of three.

The attorney said that according to his instructions his client was at home when he received a phone call from Chapman asking him for $200,000. Being a Good Samaritan to his fellow businessman he went to the home with the money where he was arrested upon arrival.

However, police prosecutor Gordon Mansfield related a different story to the court as he presented the facts of the charges. He was noted that police ranks at Lethem acting on information received, went to a location at Tabatinga, Lethem about 19:30hrs on the day in question.

Upon arrival at the unfinished structure, someone was seen running from the building. A search was conducted which revealed the quantity of drugs mentioned in the charge in one of the rooms in a bag on the floor.

He went on to say that investigations carried out led to the arrest of the owner of the building along with Chapman. They were taken into custody where Chapman received a phone call.

The call was reportedly from someone by the name of Marlon. Chapman engaged in a conversation with the caller who allegedly promised to pay $1.2M to have the narcotics returned to him. However at the time he only had $200,000.

Prosecutor Mansfield further stated that since Chapman was arrested he had claimed that the narcotics belonged to the defendant. Chapman was released from police custody and a sting operation was set up in which he was followed to his home.

Jarvis reportedly showed up at the home shortly after and handed over the sum mentioned in the charge.

The prosecutor added that given advice by the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) the charges were made out against Jarvis. None was made for Chapman.

The prosecutor objected to bail for Jarvis. This submission was upheld by the magistrate who remanded the accused to prison and adjourned the matter until April 18, 2019 where it will be called again in the Lethem Magistrate’s Courts.