Five remanded on narco-possession, illegal firearm, ammo charges

Four men who were arrested during a Police raid at Omai Landing in Region Seven (Cuyuni/Mazaruni) on March 7th made their second court appearance on Friday before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan, and were all further remanded.

Charged separately for the offences of narcotics possession and possession of a firearm and ammunition, these men had on Thursday been arraigned before City Magistrate Fabayo Azore, and had been remanded to prison.

Stephan Atkinson
Stephan Atkinson

On Friday, accompanied by Attorney-at-law Clyde Forde, 20-year-old Mark Sampson of Arakawa Linden, Region Ten (10) stood before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan and pleaded not guilty to possession of 450 grammes of cannabis at Omai Landing, Essequibo River on March 7.

Dexter Cameron, a 23-year-old resident of Central Mahaicony, East Coast Demerara, likewise stood before the Chief Magistrate and pleaded not guilty to being in possession of 892 grammes of cannabis for the purpose of trafficking, on March 7 at Omai Landing in the Essequibo River.

Twenty-seven-year-old Eldius Paddy, who was reportedly busted with a quantity of 73 grammes of marijuana on March 7, 2017 at Omai Landing during the same Police raid, also pleaded not guilty to the charge. Defence attorney for these two men, Charlene Fung-A-Fatt, applied for bail to be granted them, but this request was denied. The Prosecution contended that the men were caught with the illegal substance when Police officials swooped down on a shop in the area, and each had subsequently admitted to ownership of same.

And Stephan Atkinson, a 35-year-old excavator operator and father of three, of Mainstay, Essequibo, who on March 7 was busted with an unlicensed firearm and ammunition during the course of the raid, stood before the Chief Magistrate and pleaded not guilty to being in possession of a Millennium Taurus pistol along with six live rounds of matching ammunition at Omai Landing, Region Seven, on March 7 last.

His defence attorney, Latchmie Rahamat, contended that the firearm was not found on his person, but in the premises of a shop occupied by several others; but Police facts contradicted this assertion, positing that a search conducted on Atkinson’s person had led to the discovery of the pistol.

Magistrate Azore had, on Thursday, advised the respective defense councils to reserve bail application for Friday, when the accused persons would face the Chief Magistrate.

Chief Magistrate McLennan presided over the matters on Friday as scheduled, and transferred the matters to be heard at the Mahdia Magistrate’s Courts on March 19.