Businessman remanded on narco possession, bribe charges

A hotelier on Monday appeared before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts to answer to the charges of possession of narcotics and bribery.
Forty-four-year-old Marlon Jarvis denied the three charges instituted against him. The first charge stated that on April 3, 2019, at Tabatinga, Lethem, Region Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo), he was found with 53.4 kilograms of cannabis in his possession for the purpose of trafficking. It is also alleged that on the same date, he was found with 1.59 kilograms of cocaine for the purpose of trafficking. Another charge detailed that Jarvis gave his friend, Samuel Trotman, the sum of $180,000, who claimed he could have the narcotics charge dropped.
The defendant’s attorney, Jermone Khan, told the court that his client received a call from his friend, Trotman, who told him that he got into trouble with the police. He then asked the defendant to bring the money, which he would use to bribe the police. However, when Jarvis showed up with the money, he was arrested.
Police Prosecutor Gordon Mansfield told the court that on April 3, ranks from Lethem Police Station went to an unfurnished flat structure at Tabatinga and conducted a search when a man was seen running from the premises and made his good escape.
Police ranks further investigated the matter where Jarvis, the owner of Marlon’s and Sons Hotel, was arrested.
The prosecutor further stated that police ranks were conducting an interview with Trotman when he received a call from Jarvis, who stated that he would bribe the police with $1.2 million for the drugs to be returned to him.
Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan remanded Jarvis to prison and transferred the matter to Lethem Magistrate’s Court. The case will continue on April 18, 2019.