Bath settlement man freed on drug trafficking charge

A drug trafficking charge against Ramlall Ramdihal, a 38-year-old field supervisor from Bath Settlement, West Coast Berbice (WCB), has been dismissed by Principal Magistrate Allan Wilson at the Mahaicony Magistrate’s Court.
The decision followed a successful submission by defence counsel Bernard Da Silva, who argued that the prosecution had failed to establish a prima facie case.
Ramdihal was initially arrested after police discovered 41.768 kilograms (92 lbs) of cannabis in his vehicle. The incident took place on Thursday, February 8, 2024, when Ramdihal was found parked on the south side of Now or Never Public Road, Mahaicony, East Coast Demerara (ECD).

Reports indicated that Ramdihal, who was in a white car with the registration number PVV 1495, was unable to give a reasonable explanation for being at that location. Upon searching the vehicle, police officers found three large white salt bags in the trunk, which contained parcels wrapped in plastic that tested positive for cannabis.
During questioning, Ramdihal reportedly stated that he had been directed to pick up the bags at No. 30 Village and deliver them to Georgetown in exchange for payment. However, he did not reveal who had given him the bags.
In court, Da Silva presented a written submission highlighting that the prosecution had not met the required standard of evidence to prove drug trafficking. Citing judicial precedents, Da Silva pointed to the principle that the court must consider the evidence in its entirety rather than relying on isolated pieces. He referenced the case of State v Gowkarran Persaud et al (1976), 24 WIR 97, which emphasised taking a general view of the evidence.

Furthermore, Da Silva referenced R v Galbraith (1981) 2 All ER 1060, arguing that the prosecution’s evidence, even when taken at its best, lacked reliability. He maintained that the evidence presented did not suffice to establish a prima facie case, leading to his request for dismissal.
Magistrate Wilson agreed with the defence’s argument, ruling that the evidence fell short of what was necessary for the charge to proceed. As a result, the trafficking charge against Ramdihal was dismissed, and he was freed of the allegations.
Despite the prosecution’s efforts to build their case, the court found that the evidence did not meet the required threshold, marking the end of the legal battle for Ramdihal.