Drunk admits to having drug

The drunken stupor Ronell Mathurin claimed that he was in when he told the police that he had marijuana at his home must have spilled over into Monday morning at the Serious Offences Court.{{more}}

Chief Magistrate Sonya Young fined the 22-year-old Lowmans Hill labourer $1000 after he pleaded guilty to having 658 grams (just over one pound) of cannabis in his possession on March 14, 2008. Mathurin has two months to pay the fine or he stands the chance of going to prison for nine months.

The court heard that the defendant was at the Questelles Police Station when police received certain information. The officers left with Mathurin for his home at Lowmans Hill to execute a search warrant. During the search, a barrel was found in Mathurin’s bedroom and in it was a black plastic bag, which contained plant material resembling cannabis. Police Officers cautioned the defendant and he replied, “Is my weed fo mek ah hustle.”

Visibly baffled by the facts read in court, Mathurin told the court that it was not that way the incident happened. He told Magistrate Young that he was at a beach splash and was intoxicated. He said that all he remembered was that he was in a van and that police were trying to charge him for breaking and entering. Mathurin said he then told the officers he did not break into any van and that, “I ha weed home if all yo war lock me up.”