65-year-old US missionary remanded for trafficking cocaine charge

Sixty-five-year-old Alan Murdoc was allegedly busted with 1.5 grams of cocaine by ranks of the Guyana Police Force (GPF) when they swooped down on a “known yard” on Saturday, September 30, 2017 at Pike Street, Kitty.
This is according to Police Prosecutor Simone Payne, who made the allegation when the defendant first appeared before Magistrate Fabayo Azore on Wednesday afternoon.
According to Payne, when the police arrived on the scene, the defendant who was seated on a bench was searched and the cocaine was found in his possession, concealed in a Krazy Glue container.

He was cautioned, taken into lawful custody and charged with the offence.
Murdoc, who has a hearing impairment, could not at first instance hear the charge read by the Magistrate, and was asked to step forward to facilitate better communication.
The defendant, who was not represented by any legal counsel, nonetheless, denied the allegation by saying that he was a Christian and did not engage in such activities, further claiming that he signed several documents under duress.
He, however, uttered to the court a similar version of facts as relayed by the prosecution, most of it inaudible and ambiguous, leaving the court in a state of confusion.
As such, the Magistrate postponed the case to Thursday allowing Murdoc the opportunity to regain his composure.
When Murdoc returned before the court on Thursday afternoon, he entered a clear not-guilty plea after the Magistrate informed him of the mandatory three-year sentence attached to the felony, before re-reading the charge to him.
The shackled elderly man, in apparent pain, stumbled around the courtroom with what appeared to be a bible in his hands. He made an application for bail to be granted.
Bail was, however, denied by Magistrate Azore, who also informed Murdoc that he could have a lawyer apply to the High Court for same.
Murdoc returns to court on October 25, 2017.