3 slapped with ganja trafficking, B&E, other charges

Three men have been arraigned before two magistrates at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts on varying charges.
Andrew Williams, 29, a construction worker of Middle Road La Penitence Georgetown, is accused of trafficking in narcotics. It is alleged that on May 8 at Middle Road, La Penitence, he had 32 grams of cannabis sativa (marijuana) in his possession for the purpose of trafficking.
He pleaded not guilty to the charge.
According to the Police Prosecutor, on May 8, Police ranks on mobile patrol received certain information and, as a result, went to Williams’s home. While there, the ranks saw Williams holding a one-strap shoulder bag. A search was conducted on the bag, and quantities of leaves, seeds, and stems suspected to be cannabis sativa were found inside.
Williams was told of the offence committed, and was arrested and cautioned. He was escorted to the Ruimveldt Police Station.
Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan granted this accused drug trafficker bail to the tune of $15,000, and set his next court appearance for June 16.
And before Principal Magistrate Sherdel Isaacs-Marcus, 27-year-old Neil Clarke appeared charged with break and enter and larceny.
He pleaded not guilty to the charge, which stated that on May 4, at East Ruimveldt, Georgetown, he broke and entered the dwelling house of Marcia Steele and stole $45,000 cash, three gold chains, two gold rings and a gold band valued at $415,000, all property of Marcia Steele.
In addressing the court, Clarke pleaded with the Magistrate to place him on minimum bail, stating that he had already posted $20,000 station bail. However, the defendant’s request was met with objections from the prosecutor, who asked that the defendant be placed on substantial bail, taking into consideration the value of the items he had allegedly stolen.
The Magistrate, however, overruled the prosecutor’s submissions and granted Clarke his pre-trial liberty in the sum of $10,000, since Clarke had indicated that that was all the money he had. Clarke’s next court date is May 31.
Meanwhile, Durban Backlands, Georgetown resident Kester Evelyn was granted $10,000 bail after denying a damage to property charge before Principal Magistrate Sherdel Isaacs-Marcus.
The 43-year-old man pleaded not guilty to the charge, which stated that on April 26 at Durban Backlands, he unlawfully and maliciously damaged three posts valued $6,600; runners worth $15,000, and angling mesh valued at $8,000, property of Indira Narine.
He has also been charged with two counts of assault causing actual bodily harm committed on Narine and Katrina Johnson, and has been ordered to post $5,000 bail on each of those two counts.
Principal Magistrate Sherdel Issaacs-Marcus instructed him to return to court later this month.