Prison officer jailed 3 years for trafficking ganja at Mazaruni Prison
A 21-year-old prison officer has been sentenced to three years in prison after pleading guilty to narcotics possession for the purpose of trafficking.
Joel Johnson, an officer stationed at the Mazaruni Prison, appeared before Magistrate Teriq Mohamed at the Bartica Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday, and was eventually sentenced to jail for the illegal possession of 804 grams of cannabis.
Jailed: Joel Johnson
Johnson, who resides at Section ‘C’ Clonbrook, East Coast Demerara, was arrested on January 14 after being subjected to a routine search upon his return to duty at the Mazaruni Prison. The search, which took place at the Mazaruni Checkpoint/ Scanning Area, revealed a suspicious green haversack containing eight Irish Spring soap boxes and two Colgate toothpaste boxes.
Inside these items, the prison officer was found to be carrying leaves, seeds, and stems that tested positive for cannabis.
Following the discovery, Johnson was arrested by fellow prison officers, and the police were called to the scene. The drugs, totalling 804 grams, were handed over to ranks from the Bartica Police Station.
The drugs that were found hidden in the prison officer’s possession
When he appeared before the court, Johnson pleaded guilty to the charge of possession of narcotics for the purpose of trafficking, contrary to Section 5(1)(a)(i) of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Control Act Chapter 10:10; and Magistrate Mohamed sentenced him to three years in prison and fined him $30,000.
