Latest update March 19th, 2024 12:59 AM
Jan 19, 2011 News
With a deep American accent, 24-year-old Shatese Athena Valentine, of 308 Stuyvesant Avenue, Brooklyn, New York, pleaded with Acting Chief Magistrate Priya Beharry for mercy, but despite her efforts, she was yesterday found guilty of trafficking in narcotics and jailed for five years.
Valentine, who was unrepresented, had earlier pleaded not guilty to the charge.
During yesterday’s hearing at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court, Ashley Williams, an officer of the Custom Anti Narcotics Unit (CANU) attached to the Cheddi Jagan International Airport, Timehri, gave evidence in chief.
CANU Prosecutor Oswald Massiah sought the magistrate’s permission to have the two brown envelopes, a brown suitcase and two Fernleaf milk tins which contained the illegal substance, tendered as evidence.
After Williams was finished testifying, he was cross examined by the accused.
Valentine, moreover, was given the opportunity to call any witness/witnesses to testify on her behalf. The suspect requested to call Mohanram Persaud, Williams’ supervisor. He was also cross examined by Valentine.
Nevertheless, she failed in her bid to prove her innocence, hence the magistrate queried from her whether she wished to say anything before being sentenced.
A tearful Valentine, in a shaky voice said, “My worship I beg of this court to have mercy and pity on me. I came to Guyana with no intention of malice…if you check my passport you will see that I am a regular visitor to several Caribbean countries. I’ve never had brushes with the law. Please, I have a sick mother and younger siblings at home who need me. Give me the chance to properly look into their wellbeing to prevent them from being put on the streets.”
Magistrate Beharry subsequently handed down the penalty of a $30,000 fine and ordered that Valentine spend the next five years in the women’s penitentiary at New Amsterdam.
On October 28, last, acting on information received, CANU ranks at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport, Timehri, intercepted Valentine with seven kilogrammes of cocaine stashed in the lining of her suitcase and in two Fernleaf milk tins. At the time she was an outgoing passenger, travelling to New York.
The accused first appeared in court on October 28.
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