A construction worker and a vendor from Kitty, Georgetown, were on Tuesday brought before Chief Magistrate Faith McGusty at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court, where they faced joint charges related to the possession of cocaine.
Gavin Clarke, a 50-year-old construction worker and mason, and Seauta Norville, a 47-year-old vendor, both of Gordon Street, Kitty, were arrested on March 21 during a police operation. They were jointly charged for being in possession of 70 grams of cocaine at their residence.
Clarke was also charged separately for possessing an additional five grams of cocaine. Both pleaded not guilty to the charges.
It was reported that on March 21, between 15:30h and 20:30h, police conducted several searches across Georgetown in search of narcotics, stolen property, and wanted persons. Their efforts led them to Gordon Street, where they encountered Clarke and Norville.
Seauta Norville
A search of the property uncovered a quantity of cocaine. Clarke reportedly admitted ownership of the narcotics, while Norville denied any knowledge of it. The illegal substance was weighed and confirmed to be 33 grams.
Following their arrest, both Clarke and Norville were placed in custody pending their court appearance.
During the court proceedings on Tuesday, their attorney, Stacey Goodings, argued that Norville had no knowledge of the cocaine found at the residence. Goodings stated that her client was only an occasional visitor at Clarke’s home and was not a permanent resident. Norville reportedly told her attorney that on the day in question, she was at the house but was not feeling well when police arrived to conduct the search.
According to Norville, officers searched her but found nothing in her possession. She was then asked to step outside while Clarke remained inside.
The cocaine that was found in the Kitty home
Clarke, on the other hand, maintained that he had no knowledge of the cocaine. He told investigators that two other persons—his niece and cousin—also resided at the premises and insisted that he was unaware of any illegal substances.
The prosecution, however, presented a different version of events. They stated that they had a video interview in which Clarke admitted to the cocaine found in the house and also cleared Norville of any involvement.
According to the prosecution, 30 grams of the narcotics were found on a ledge inside the bedroom, which had no partition, while three grams were discovered in Clarke’s pocket.
Clarke was remanded to prison, while Norville was granted $150,000 bail.
The case was adjourned to April 16.
