St Lucian ordered to pay $1,500 forthwith or spend 6 months in jail

The St Lucian man who told Chief Magistrate Sonya Young that he did not come here to collect drugs, but to visit friends and family, was fined $1,500 for entering the state illegally.{{more}}

Dyka Mathurin was ordered to pay the fine forthwith, or spend six months at Her Majesty’s Prison, when he reappeared at the Serious Offences Court on Wednesday.

When he first appeared on Monday, Mathurin pleaded guilty to entering the country illegally on January 11, at Chateaubelair, via speed-boat.

After he told the magistrate that he was working for a contractor by the name of Neal James in St Lucia, and that he did not come here for marijuana, she carried out her own investigations into Mathurin’s claims.

The court heard that on January 12, police in the North Windward district were on patrol when Mathurin was seen in the company of another man around 7 a.m.

When questioned by the police officers, Mathurin said he was from St Lucia and came via a speedboat named “Gorgeous” the previous day.

On Wednesday, Young said she had spoken with the head of the Criminal Investigations Department and was informed that Mathurin’s family is involved in drugs and that Neal James does not work in the construction industry.

It was revealed that James sells vehicle parts.

Mathurin also admitted that his family was involved in the drug business.(KW)