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Jul 08, 2015 News
An American citizen was yesterday handed a five-year jail term by Magistrate Leron Daly, after she was found guilty of procuring another woman to traffic cocaine.
Dawn Saul-Khan, 56 was found guilty of procuring Chaliqua Johnson to traffic 0.365kg of cocaine to the United States of America (USA) on October 12, 2012, at Alexander Village.
The convict’s last known address in Guyana was given as 2098 Festival City, South Ruimveldt, Georgetown.
After hearing the Magistrate’s verdict the woman broke down in tears at the Providence Magistrate’s Court.
Magistrate Daly, in summing up the evidence, informed the court that Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Stephen Telford, provided the court with credible evidence that proved Saul-Khan procured the woman to traffic the drug.
During the trial, Khan had given a sworn testimony. She also called Gavin Taylor to testify on her behalf. But the court did not believe the witness’ story.
Johnson had also testified and told the court that on October 6, 2012, Khan picked her up from the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) and took her to a house in Alexander Village. She said that on the morning of October 12, 2012, Khan woke her up at about 04:30hrs, since they were scheduled to travel to the Unuted States.
Johnson testified that Khan gave her two packets and told her that it was gold and she should strap it to her body. She added that the woman informed her that if she had refused to strap the item to her body she would have to make her way back to the USA, the best way she could.
Johnson along with three other American citizens – Gregory Hoyte, 20, of 157-18 7th Avenue, Queens, New York; Adrian Roberts, 38, of 1450 David’s Boulevard, Queens, New York; assistant nurse Melissa Gouria, 25, of 148-17 Brookville Boulevard, Queens, New York were charged with the possession of narcotics.
Johnson , Hoyte, Roberts and Gouria were alleged to have had 365, 745, 675 and 490 grammes of cocaine, respectively, for the purpose of trafficking. They were all busted with the drug at the CJIA on October 12, 2012.
However, they told the court that Saul-Khan had given them the illicit substance to carry to the USA.
According to court facts, all five were booked to travel on a Delta Airlines flight bound for the JFK Airport, in New York when cocaine was allegedly found on the person of the four individuals during a random pat down.
Saul-Khan first appeared before former Magistrate Leslie Sobers on October 15, 2012 and denied the allegation. On that occasion she was released on $2M bail
Gregory Hoyte’s matter is still pending, but he has returned to the USA. He was granted permission by the Chief Justice to leave the jurisdiction. Merissa Gouria and Chaliqua Johnson were freed on the charges and have also returned to the USA. Adrian Roberts died in Guyana while awaiting his trial.
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