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Sep 05, 2014 News
….husband jailed for planting marijuana
A 47-year-old farmer and his 65-year-old wife were yesterday remanded to prison after being charged with having a quantity of marijuana for trafficking and illegal ammunition at their Hobodeia Village, North West District premises on Tuesday.
Franklin Anthony and his reputed wife, Claris Hudson, were taken before Magistrate Judy Latchman at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court to respond to the charges.
It is alleged that on September 2, last, the couple had 1117 grammes of marijuana in their possession for the purpose of trafficking. Secondly they are accused of having three 16-gauge cartridge shell casings and a 16-gauge cartridge while neither of them was a licenced firearm holder.
As the Magistrate explained to the couple the difference between being “guilty” or not, the woman was more reserved and simply pleaded not guilty to the Possession of Narcotics for the Purpose of Trafficking charge while her partner said “me had it, but me ain’t had all that for trafficking.”
Hudson also denied having ammunition, while Anthony said “Well the police find it in a carton box with some old clothes in my house, but it was not mine.”
The man is also charged with cultivating cannabis sativa (marijuana) plants on his farm in Hobodeia Village. He pleaded guilty and said “I did it. It was the very first time.”
The couple, who was unrepresented by legal counsel, told the Magistrate that they have two children from their common law union. Anthony said that he does not know the age of his children, however, and Hudson made no effort to answer. She explained that she is suffering from a heart problem and has diabetes. The court heard too that neither of them had ever been charged before.
Police Prosecutor, Inspector Michael Grant explained that a party of police ranks went to the couple’s home on Monday. He said when they met the couple, the ranks told them of the information they had received and Anthony subsequently led them to his farm.
The ranks reportedly searched the farm and found 16 marijuana plants there and Anthony told the ranks that he had planted them.
On account of the charges they denied, Grant objected to the couple being granted bail citing the serious nature, gravity and prevalence of the offences. He said too that no special reason was raised for them to be granted pre-trial liberty for the charges of illegal ammunition or drug trafficking.
During mitigation for the charge for nurturing the illegal plants, Anthony told Magistrate Latchman that it was the first time he planted the prohibited plants. The seemingly remorseful man explained “Is hard for me. Is me alone, and I gotta cut logs with cutlass, so I decide to plant this thing now so that I could get fast money to buy a chainsaw to cut the logs.”
As she ruled, Magistrate Latchman patiently explained to Anthony “You admitted that you planted the marijuana to buy the chainsaw, and it is a serious offence. The law stipulates that you must be sent to prison. This charge carries three to five years imprisonment along with a fine.”
He was sentenced to three years in jail and fined $6000.
The couple was remanded to prison on the other charges. They are scheduled to appear before Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry on September 8.
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