'REVERSE STING' GETS NEW TRIAL

Appeal Court Overrules Drug Deal Acquittal

The Court of Appeal yesterday ordered a new trial for an accused drug
dealer who was acquitted after a judge found the "reverse sting" used to
nab him was unlawful and constituted trafficking in a narcotic by the police.

In a reverse sting, undercover officers offer to sell drugs to a target and
if the negotiations are successful the officers produce the drugs, the
suspect buys them and then is arrested.

Ramkishore Jageshur was acquitted in November 2000 of charges of
trafficking in cocaine after the judge found the reverse sting in this case
was an abuse of process and he excluded evidence obtained by the police in
the course of the sting. The Crown had no other evidence and he was acquitted.

The charge arose from allegations that Jageshur in late 1996 sold one kilo
of cocaine to an undercover police agent. In the summer of 1997, it's
alleged he agreed to buy 18 kilos of cocaine from undercover officers and
made a deposit of $80,000. A few days later, court heard, the undercover
officers produced the drugs and it's alleged Jageshur paid the outstanding
amount. He was arrested and charged. The Crown appealed the acquittal
arguing the trial judge erred in ruling the reverse sting was unlawful.

The appeal court found the sting did not violate the Controlled Drugs and
Substances Act.

Since there was no illegality, the appeal court said the trial judge's
finding of an abuse of process could not stand.