Mark Gravesande muttered a series of inaudible words as he sought to explain how he had come to be busted by Police with the pipe on September 20, 2017 at Cross Street in Werk-en-Rust Georgetown, during his appearance before Magistrate Judy Latchman on Monday at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts.
Following his explanation, the presiding magistrate informed him that the court had recorded a not-guilty plea on his behalf, to which he posed no objection.
Mark Gravesande
The Prosecution is contending that the 30-year-old market labourer of Timehri, East Bank Demerara was found by Police with the cocaine-smoking utensil.
Prosecutor Shawn Gonsalves disclosed that the matter was not ready for hearing in the absence of the analyst’s certificate, which is yet outstanding, and the case was adjourned to be heard on October 16.
Meanwhile, Noel Mansfield, 40, a single parent of five, was granted $20,000 bail for allegedly smoking cannabis after he pleaded for the compassion of the magistrate by indicating that he toils at the Stabroek Market as a vendor to provide for his school- age children.
Mansfield further disclosed that he has an ongoing matter before another magistrate at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts, upon which Prosecutor Gonsalves based his grounds for objecting to bail, attesting that the accused had committed the offence whilst on bail for the latter case of similar nature (trafficking in narcotics).
The father of five maintained his innocence in relation to the latter matter, contending that the alleged bags of marijuana were found next to his stall at the market.
“Should you grant me bail, I promise to come to court every time,” Mansfield pleaded, even requesting the magistrate to consult with Magistrate Dylan Bess, who presides over the trafficking case.
He was instructed to return to court on October 18, 2017.
