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January 28, 2013
Star News


 

St James man arrested for ganja

Christopher Thomas, STAR Writer

WESTERN BUREAU:

Two St James men, arrested for possession of 1,380 pounds of ganja in 39 bags, were offered a combined $500,000 bail in the Montego Bay Resident Magistrate's Court on Wednesday.

Fisherman Wesley Samuels, 53, and hotel employee Lorenzo Wallace, 19, both from Success Beach, Barrett Town, are to return to court on April 18.

Allegations are that on January 15, police conducted an operation at a house in Success Beach. Samuels was found at the back of the house, and when questioned, admitted he lived there.

A search was conducted of the premises, and 39 knitted bags were found in the house. At that point Wallace arrived and said he also lived at the house, but knew nothing of the bags.

Subsequently, when the bags were opened they were found to contain vegetable matter resembling ganja. Samuels reportedly said, "A my weed, a me dem carry it to, me nuh tell him (Wallace) nothing, so him innocent," and both men were arrested and charged.

On Wednesday, attorney-at-law Martyn Thomas, who represents both men, made a successful bail application for them before Resident Magistrate Sandria Wong-Small.

"I cannot see why Mr Wallace was arrested, locked up and brought before the court. He had just had dinner with his bosses at the Sea Castles resort, and he saw the area (at Success Beach) surrounded by police and they arrested him," said Lawyer Thomas.

"As it relates to Mr Samuels, he denies the allegations in their entirety, and he has no previous convictions," the attorney added.

Meanwhile, clerk of the court Natalie Malcolm expressed concern about whether the defendants would return to court if offered bail.

"Given the subject matter of the charge, my concern is, if they are given bail, whether they will return to court to answer to the charge. If your honour is minded to grant them bail, I would ask that conditions be attached," said Malcolm.

RM Wong-Small eventually set the matter for mention on April 18 and offered Samuels and Wallace $250,000 bail each with three sureties.

"You will be required as conditions of your bail to report to the Barrett Town Police Station every Monday and Friday between 7 a.m. and 6 p.m. A stop order will also be placed for you at all ports, and a fingerprint order is also made for you," the magistrate told the men.

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