Farmer fined $5,000 for drug possession

A 31-year-old farmer has been given until December 15 to pay a fine of $5,000, failing which he will spend 12 months in prison.

Last Thursday, Oshacko Hamilton was found guilty at the Georgetown Magistrate’s Court of having in his possession 2,485 grams of cannabis.

The court heard that on Wednesday, November 1, the father of two was travelling in a mini van HS 500 en route to Kingstown.

He was carrying a multicolour Jansport bag and seated at the back of the vehicle beside policeman Corporal Harper, when the scent of cannabis came from the bag. The Police officer identified himself and cautioned Hamilton, who responded “Officer is some weed ah have here.”

The van driver was instructed to stop at the Colonarie Police Station, where two taped packages of marijuana were found in Hamilton’s bag.

Hamilton told the court he was going to sell the marijuana to buy stuff for his children and to pay bills.

Magistrate Rickie Burnett told Hamilton that although there are ongoing talks about medical marijuana, the substance is still illegal in this country.

“When guys are caught with these drugs, that is just the type of responses we receive,” Burnett added.

Lawyer Ronnie Marks, who was present, told the court that the fine for that quantity of drugs was in the range of about $6,000, as the marijuana was not packaged for individual sale and taking into consideration that the defendant had no previous conviction. An order was made for the drug to be destroyed.(CJ)