Cop gets bail for allegedly stealing ganja from station

Jun 17, 2022 News

Kaieteur News – Police Detective Sergeant, Elfannando Newman of Herstelling, East Bank Demerara, was on Wednesday charged for allegedly stealing cannabis from a police station.
The charge was brought against the police rank by the Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU), an arm of the Guyana Police Force (GPF). Newman appeared in the Diamond/Golden Grove Magistrate’s Court before Magistrate Sunil Scarce. He was charged with larceny by public officer.

Elfannando Newman.

The Administration of Justice Act (AJA) was applied to the charge and Newman pleaded not guilty to the charge. The charge stated that between Saturday February 27, 2021 and March 1, 2021, at the Timehri Police Station, East Bank Demerara, while being employed by the GPF, he stole three large bulky parcels of Cannabis Sativa allege to weigh 3,122 grams, received or taken into possession by him by virtue of his employment.
The police rank was represented by attorney-at-law Siand Dhurjon. He was placed on $100,000 bail and the matter was adjourned to July 8, 2022. According to SOCU, as a result of a civil forfeiture, an investigation was carried out by the agency.

The narcotics.

In September 2021, SOCU ranks visited the Timehri Police Station to conduct their investigations and it was revealed that a quantity of cannabis that should have been lodged by Newman on February 27, 2021, was never lodged but was stolen.
On Saturday February 27, 2021, the ranks stationed at the Highway Police Patrol Base searched a motorcar that had three occupants inside; two males and a female and found three large parcels of leaves, seeds, and stems suspected to be narcotics, weighing about 45 to 50 pounds.
One of the males, said to be the driver had offered the rank who found the narcotics two million dollars cash and three ounces of gold but the rank refused his offer. The rank then escorted the narcotic and suspects to the Timehri Police Station and then handed over to Sergeant Newman who weighed the narcotic and claimed that it was 3,122 grams.
It is alleged that Newman failed to lodge the narcotics that were handed over to him and allegedly stole same. Based on information, an investigation was carried out by SOCU and this led to Newman being charged.