Shop owner remanded on ganja possession charge

Jan 31, 2009 News

“Your Worship, they ought to have allowed him to open his shop,” said attorney-at-law Adrian Thompson.
His client, 31-year-old Jermaine Glasgow, was appearing before acting Chief Magistrate Melissa Robertson to face the charge of possession of cannabis for the purpose of trafficking.
It is alleged that last January 22, in Georgetown, the accused, who resides at 604 East Ruimveldt Housing Scheme, had in his possession 33.5 grams of cannabis. The defendant pleaded not guilty.
“ Your Worship, my client, who is the owner of a small shop where he sells mostly drinks, was on the day in question invaded by the police, who forcibly hit open the door to his shop and claimed they found the substance cannabis,’ said Thompson.
He added that when the arrest warrant was issued and the police went to execute it, his client was not present at his shop at the time.
“They shouldn’t have broken into his premises with him not being there.
They ought to have allowed him to open-up his shop.”
Thompson asked for reasonable bail for the accused.
Police Prosecutor Sherwin Matthews said that he was unaware of what Thompson was talking about.
“For my friend’s information, nothing was found in the shop; the cannabis was found in the defendant’s bedroom.
The defendant himself gave a statement. That adds up to the facts of the case.’
“Your Worship, the defendant did not confess to anything,” Thompson countered.
The magistrate refused bail to the accused, and transferred the matter to Court 5 for February 2, 2009.