Tears abound as judge remands Trelawny two
July 19, 2007
Two of Trelawny's better known residents - both employees at Sangster International Airport - were on Tuesday remanded in police custody for at least another three weeks after pleading not guilty to charges of conspiring to export 71lbs of ganja.
Roland Williams, a 51-year-old 'red cap' porter of a Bunkers Hill address, a father of five and 31-year-old Patricia Henry of Bounty Hall, a former customer service supervisor at AJAS Ltd, a single mother of a 14-year-old boy, have been charged with possession of ganja, dealing in ganja, taking preparatory to steps export ganja and conspiracy to export ganja.
They were arrested in separate incidents last week in connection with the same drug find.
A number of co-workers, family members and friends turned up in the Montego Bay Resident Magistrate's Court and several broke down in tears after Senior Resident Magistrate Winsome Henry denied the bail applications from attorneys representing the two accused persons.
Judge Henry said Henry, who worked at AJAS for 10 years before tendering her resignation after she was arrested, was in a position of trust where she was supposed to be helping in trying to prevent persons from smuggling drugs from the island.
The judge said based on evidence before the court, there was a tendency for employees at the airport to be involved in drug smuggling, although improved technology and increased detection had scared off some of the would be smugglers.
The court heard that on Thursday, July 12 just before 3:00 pm while on duty at the AJAS check in counter, Henry checked in a bag belonging to a passenger returning home after a vacation.
The court heard that in a caution statement she gave to the police, Henry admitted to producing two other tags in the passenger's name which she put on two bags given to her by Williams.
When the bags were checked by security, the police found a total of 20 packages of ganja in the two bags weighing 71lbs. The passenger was taken off the flight and asked to identify the bags but she denied any knowledge of them.
When contacted, the court heard that Henry admitted knowing there was contraband in the bags as Williams had told her "it had a little something in it".
Williams was arrested when he turned up to work the next day but denied any knowledge of the bags or their contents.
Attorney at law Clive Mullings who is representing Williams said his client was never held with anything and the prosecution's case against him was built around a statement alleging what he told her.
Dalton Reid who is representing Henry, asked the judge to release her on bail saying she was well known and was not a flight risk and would return to face her trial.
They are to return to court on August 9 when the case will be mentioned.
Author: Paul A Reid
Source: Jamaica Observer
