KINGSTOWN, St Vincent – Four Trinidad and Tobago nationals have been remanded into custody until Wednesday after they appeared in a magistrate’s court charged with possession, trafficking and conspiracy to traffic 240 pounds of marijuana on Tuesday.
The men, Jayron Abraham aka Fatboy, 21, Damian Baptiste aka Tall Boy, 29, Shaqkeim Bolah aka Myng, 21, Isaiah Phillips aka Izee, 23, appeared before the Serious Offences Court in Kingstown along with Vincentian Tevin Matthews, that between February 1 and May 4, they conspired to traffic the drug.
Police are alleging that the Trinidadians had the drug in their possession with intent to supply it to another person at Petit Bordel on October 3, the same day they allegedly had it in their possession for the purpose of drug trafficking.
The Trinidadians pleaded “guilty with an explanation” to the charges at their arraignment before Senior Magistrate Colin John. Matthews pleaded not guilty to the charge against him.
The prosecutor, Inspector Renrick Cato told Senior Magistrate Colin John that in light of the Trinidadian’s plea, he was asking the court to enter not guilty pleas for them and adjourned the matter to Wednesday.
He objected to bail for the Trinidadians, saying that he was not aware that they had sufficient ties to St. Vincent and the Grenadines and that there was nothing stopping them from leaving the country “just as they arrived”.
He said also that the prosecution was fearful that if granted bail, the men would not return for trial.
Cato said he had no objection to Matthews’ bail but asked the court to demand sufficient surety, order that he surrender his travel document and that the court issue stop notices and impose reporting conditions.
The magistrate entered not-guilty pleas for the Trinidadians and adjourned the matter to Wednesday, ordering that they be remanded into custody until then.
He granted Matthews EC$25,000 bail with one surety and ordered him to surrender his travel document and report to the Chateaubelair Police Station on Mondays. The court also ordered that stop notices be posted for Matthews. (CMC)
