Cupid fined $1000 for cannabis possession

A month after he was released from a five year prison sentence for wounding with intent, Maxwell Cupid found himself on the wrong side of the law once again.{{more}}

Cupid, 24, a labourer of Enhams, was fined $1000 forthwith after he pleaded guilty at the Serious Offences Court on Monday to having 857 (1.8 pounds) grams of cannabis in his possession with intent to supply. He paid the fine on the spot. Failure to the pay the fine would have resulted in a seven-month prison sentence

The court heard that on January 16, 2008, at about 3 pm, members of the Rapid Response Unit halted a mini van traveling towards Kingstown during a stop and search operation in the Belle Isle area.

When the van stopped, the officers identified themselves and indicated that they wanted to carry out a search. The defendant, who was sitting at the back of the transport, took a taped package from his bag and dropped it on the floor.

Police retrieved the package and found plant material inside resembling that of cannabis. Cupid was cautioned and replied, “Officer is jus ah small ting.”

In his explanation to Senior Magistrate Sonya Young, Cupid said that he was a poor man and had to survive. “I come from a poor family and I ain’t geh no money fo support myself.”

The man said that he was “going to a funeral in de country side and I ain’t been going sell it, ah jus been gine smoke it.”

After being told he was free to go, a broad grin covered Cupid’s entire face as he vowed not to come back before the Courts.(KW)