News (Media Awareness Project) - Trinidad: Drama In Court Over Drug Charge |
| Title: | Trinidad: Drama In Court Over Drug Charge |
| Published On: | 2006-09-13 |
| Source: | Trinidad Express (Trinidad) |
| Fetched On: | 2008-01-13 03:30:59 |
DRAMA IN COURT OVER DRUG CHARGE
THERE was high drama in court yesterday, when three Sea Lots
fishermen charged with possession of 0.03 grammes of marijuana reappeared.
The street value of the marijuana is about 15 cents.
The accused men's defence attorney made allegations of beatings and
threats by the police complainant upon his clients.
The police prosecutor also refused to give a full description of the
drugs to the court because she wanted further instructions from the
Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).
All this happened amidst impassioned shouting as the defence and
prosecution argued their case and at one point caused the presiding
magistrate to silence them both as he said, "Please, I try to
maintain a level of decibel noise in my court-room."
The three stood before Magistrate Andrew Stroude at the Port of Spain
Tenth Magistrates' Court yesterday. They first appearance on Monday.
Attorney Keith Scotland appeared for the three accused. Sgt Sharon
Webster-Gulston is police prosecutor while attorney Shirley Sheppard
appeared for Customs and Excise.
Two charges were read to the jointly-charged trio. One alleged that
on September 7 at the Coast Guard Headquarters in Staubles Bay,
Chaguaramas, they had marijuana in their possession. That charge was
laid indictably and they were not called upon to plead.
A second Customs and Excise charge alleged that on September 6, off
the North Coast of Trinidad, they were found on board a pirogue, from
which contents were thrown overboard to prevent seizure. They pleaded
not guilty to that charge.
Scotland complained to Stroude that Insp Giles, who had arrested and
charged the men, beat them. He was about to show the court the busted
heads of two of the accused men when Stroude stopped him, saying he
(Stroude) was not a medical practitioner and needed medical reports.
When Webster-Gulston was asked to give a description of the drugs to
the court, she said she could not because of the how the description
was prepared by the forensics experts. She then opted to get
instructions from the DPP.
THERE was high drama in court yesterday, when three Sea Lots
fishermen charged with possession of 0.03 grammes of marijuana reappeared.
The street value of the marijuana is about 15 cents.
The accused men's defence attorney made allegations of beatings and
threats by the police complainant upon his clients.
The police prosecutor also refused to give a full description of the
drugs to the court because she wanted further instructions from the
Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).
All this happened amidst impassioned shouting as the defence and
prosecution argued their case and at one point caused the presiding
magistrate to silence them both as he said, "Please, I try to
maintain a level of decibel noise in my court-room."
The three stood before Magistrate Andrew Stroude at the Port of Spain
Tenth Magistrates' Court yesterday. They first appearance on Monday.
Attorney Keith Scotland appeared for the three accused. Sgt Sharon
Webster-Gulston is police prosecutor while attorney Shirley Sheppard
appeared for Customs and Excise.
Two charges were read to the jointly-charged trio. One alleged that
on September 7 at the Coast Guard Headquarters in Staubles Bay,
Chaguaramas, they had marijuana in their possession. That charge was
laid indictably and they were not called upon to plead.
A second Customs and Excise charge alleged that on September 6, off
the North Coast of Trinidad, they were found on board a pirogue, from
which contents were thrown overboard to prevent seizure. They pleaded
not guilty to that charge.
Scotland complained to Stroude that Insp Giles, who had arrested and
charged the men, beat them. He was about to show the court the busted
heads of two of the accused men when Stroude stopped him, saying he
(Stroude) was not a medical practitioner and needed medical reports.
When Webster-Gulston was asked to give a description of the drugs to
the court, she said she could not because of the how the description
was prepared by the forensics experts. She then opted to get
instructions from the DPP.
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