A Rupununi, Region Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo) farmer and his wife, who were allegedly busted with a quantity of ganja, were on Tuesday arraigned before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan on a charge of narcotics possession.
Louis Bertino
Louis Bertino, 26, and Felicia Mandokin, 18, of Moco Moco Village, Central Rupununi, are accused of having three kilograms of cannabis for the purpose of trafficking on January 27.
The couple, who denied the charge, was represented by Attorney-at-Law Jerome Khan.
In a bail application, Attorney Khan told the court that on the day in question, his clients were arrested during a Police raid. He said the Police were looking for his client’s brother when they stumbled upon the narcotics in the couple’s residence. He further related that the substance was found in the luggage of the brother of his client, who had two days prior to the raid, left it at their home.
He requested reasonable bail for his clients, questioning the grounds of the arrest and arguing that the Police had a named suspect, who owned the bag containing the substance and who they were still looking for, but they instead arrested his clients. He further told the court that his clients had a three-year-old child together and had no knowledge, or in no way could have reasonably suspected the contents of the relative’s luggage included an illegal drug.
The presiding Magistrate then granted bail to the couple at $200,000 each, and the matter was transferred to the Lethem Magistrate’s Court. The case will again be callled on February 7.
