Former Bajan Coast Guard officer walks

Sheldon Norville Mitchell, a former Sub Lieutenant in the Barbados Coast Guard, walked away from the Serious Offences Court a free man on Friday, 17th April, 2009, after the case against him was dismissed.{{more}}

Mitchell, 26 years old, was jointly charged with four Vincentians for the possession of 16,798 grams of cannabis.

The Vincentians charged were Steve De Roche of Frenches, Kamal De Roche of Sion Hill, Alwyn Ross of Fair Hall and Jamal Grant of Mckies Hill. Grant was the only defendant who pleaded guilty to the charge, while the others pleaded not guilty and were discharged. Grant was remanded to Her Majesty’s Prison until his trial on April 23, 2009.

Mitchell, a resident of Eagle Hall, St. Michael, was found by St. Vincent and the Grenadines Coastguard officers with the other men aboard a white pirogue in the waters of Richmond Bay on December 11, 2008. The drugs were found in individually taped packages aboard the vessel.