MINISTERIAL ASSISTANT GRANTED BAIL FOLLOWING SECOND DRUG ARREST

A former ministerial assistant in the provincial government, now
facing drug charges, has been released on bail.

Marshall Kendric Smith, 31, was freed after a Monday bail hearing. He
is scheduled to return to court on two occasions, this Thursday and on
July 29 to deal with charges stemming from two arrests.

Smith was once ministerial assistant to Ted Nebbeling, minister of
state for the community charter. Later, Smith was assistant to Gulzar
Cheema, who was once minister of state for immigration and
multiculturalism.

At the time of Smith's first arrest he had been on paid leave for
about three weeks. He has since been suspended without pay.

Smith spent last weekend in jail. He had been remanded in custody last
Thursday afternoon until his bail hearing.

He was arrested in the early hours of last Thursday after police
stopped a car near the Johnson Street Bridge. A police search led to
two charges: possession of cocaine for the purpose of trafficking and
possession of methamphetamine for the purpose of trafficking. Charges
of breach of recognizance also were laid.

Smith's initial arrest was on July 1 in Chinatown, after police
stopped a car. Smith and Craig Powell, 20, were charged with
possession of crystal methamphetamine for the purpose of
trafficking.

Two days after the Chinatown arrest Smith went on television to deny
any wrongdoing.

After Smith's second arrest, Victoria Police Chief Paul Battershill
called a press conference where he told reporters Victoria police were
not targeting Smith. The charges, said Battershill, were the result of
a routine traffic stop.