From the Courts
April 9, 2009

Alexander has a month to pay $1,500

Susan Alexander has one month to come up with $1,500 or she risks going to prison for three months.{{more}}

The 38-year-old Barrouallie resident pleaded guilty at the Serious Offences Court on Wednesday March 31, 2009, to possession of 908 grams of cannabis on the same day. She was ordered to pay $500 forthwith.

Initially, Alexander was jointly charged with Ronnie Benn, who also pleaded guilty to the charge. However, after his explanation to the court, Chief Magistrate Sonya Young entered a not guilty plea on his behalf and the prosecution subsequently withdrew the charge from the 23-year-old.

It was heard that Benn went to the Grenadines Wharf at about 10a.m. with a cardboard box in his possession. He went to the entrance gate at the wharf where a port police officer approached and requested a search of the box. The box contained a quantity of black fish and when the officer removed them, two silver taped packages containing the drugs were found.

Benn told the officers that it was a woman by the name of Suzie who gave him the box to carry to Bequia. Investigations carried out by police officers led them to Alexander. She admitted that she had given Benn the box filled with marijuana to take to Bequia.

While in court, Alexander told Chief Magistrate Young that she was sending the drugs for Benn’s mother and that he had no knowledge the drug was ever in the box. Benn then told Young that it was not the first time she had given him boxes to carry to Bequia. “Is not the first time she gimme box to carry down and I get search before and nothing illegal na been in deh,” Benn explained.

Seemingly irked by Alexander’s revelation, Chief Magistrate chided her for her careless actions. “Why you have to go involve an innocent person in your foolishness? For this, I’m going to fine you hard,” stated Young.(KW)