Magistrate orders Spring Village man to pay $2,600

Spring Village resident Jomo Samuel was yesterday ordered to pay $2,600 forthwith for possession of cannabis.{{more}}

When he appeared before the Serious Offences Court, the 34-year-old man pleaded guilty to possession of 1,599 grams of the controlled substance on July 18 at Mt Wynne.

The court heard that at approximately 7 a.m. on the day in question, arresting officer PC 181 Daniel was conducting a stop and search in the vicinity of Mt Wynne, when he stopped a minibus travelling from Barrouallie to Kingstown. Samuel, a passenger of the minibus, aroused Daniel’s suspicion and upon conducting a search, 1,599 grams of cannabis was found in a back-pack in Samuel’s possession.

According to the police, Samuel said a man had given him the marijuana to take to another person. However, this statement did not impress chief magistrate Rechanne Browne-Matthias, who said she had already been lenient with Samuel in April, 2014 when he faced similar charges.

Samuel was fined $2,600, which he was required to pay immediately or serve nine months in prison.(AS)