Acting Chief Magistrate Sherdel Isaacs-Marcus on Monday jailed an ex-soldier for two months. However, his sentence was suspended pending community service. Last week, Magistrate Isaacs-Marcus had ordered a probation report be submitted to the court after the man admitted to drug possession charges.
Joseph George
Joseph George pleaded guilty to the two charges on Wednesday last at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts.
The first charge stated that on January 21, 2020 at Seven Miles, School Street, Mahdia, Region Eight (Potaro-Siparuni), he had two grams of cannabis in his possession.
It was further stated that on the same day and location, he had 4.5 grams of cocaine for the purpose of trafficking.
When the matter was called, the Magistrate sentenced him to two months’ imprisonment. However, the sentence was suspended pending six weeks of community service that was ordered. As such, the defendant will have to work at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts, but failure to complete his community service will result in him serving the time in prison.
According to the prosecution’s case about 18:15h on January 21, Police ranks, acting on information received, went to Seven Miles, School Street, Mahdia and met George.
The court heard that the ranks conducted a search on the 47-year-old man and during the search, two transparent bags with cannabis were found in his right pants pocket. A more extensive search was conducted, and the cocaine was found in the crotch of his pants. He was then arrested and charged for the offence.
George, during his emotional plea for mitigation, told the Magistrate that he spent a total of seven years behind bars and was recently released from prison.
The man admitted to the court that he became an addict while serving in the Guyana Defence Force (GDF). He claimed that on several occasions he tried to quit, but was unsuccessful.
