Glenroy Scotland, 30, of Castle Bruce could not convince Magistrate Tiyani Behanzin that he did not own a marijuana plantation when he was caught with a considerable amount of cannabis seeds at his home on June 9, 2010.
Scotland told a Roseau Magistrate’s Court yesterday that he only planted the cannabis for his consumption since he could not afford to purchase it.
He was charged for the possession and intent to supply 223 grams of marijuana, which according to the magistrate, were mostly seeds.
According to the facts of the case presented by the police prosecutor, Scotland was caught by police officers who had been armed with a search warrant for his home on the said date.
The drugs were found in a pink and white plastic and when asked about it Scotland told police, “This is my weed to plant and smoke. I don’t sell weed.”
“Essentially, you have a plantation somewhere. That cannot be for your consumption,” Magistrate Behanzin said.
“I does plant my little weed in my garden. I collect them (cannabis seeds) so I can plant them in my garden,” the defendant replied.
After observing the defendant the magistrate remarked, “ The smoke is preserving you. You look very well for thirty… You’re ‘pafimaying’ (patois for smoking) yourself.”
Scotland was fined $8,000 to be paid by November 30 or he will spend six months in prison for the intent to supply charge. There was no separate penalty for the possession charge.
All over the united states prisons are ) releasing inmate deu to over crowding, becouse it has become to expensive to house them petty criminals.
A poor country like dominica is doing the opposite, how much does it cost the government to house an inmate per day, for petty crimes like having some marijuana seeds, or growing a few trees in his garden?.
come-on lets be real here, it is legale in california, the government tax it and they collect millions of dollare deu to taxing it .
If he does sell crack lock him up for that for sure! And leave the Ganja alone.
Talk is cheap bt dem time dere if is jail I have 2 go 4 weed I dusing police eh ! 4k dat s*** ras . I kya understand how dem man want 2 have man up in sin 4 a little dry bush dat killin us faster.les temps sa la mem say lamao .lol
it looking like people will have to go and steal or kill .u getting harder punishment for weed
In the Name of God, The Beneficient, The Merciful.
We need to review the laws regarding marijuana in Dominica. Dominica is a land of hypocrisy and double standard. Marijuana is a natural plant which must be respected for it's diverse uses.
I strongly believe that we could utilize marijuana for secondary and tertiary production in Dominica. Burning, spraying and making marijuana illegal or impose harsh sentences for possessing marijuana is absurd.
Additionally, tobacco and rum are main killers in the world. Cigarettes are so bad, the European countries have placed a ban on smoking in public places. What are we doing in Dominica? People are still smoking indoors. There are hardly any benefit in cigarettes and rum. It is time for a review of these 'legal' substances.
Well the day will come when all men will be judge including you Mr Behanzin.I HOPE U DO NOT COMPLAIN for all men will be judge according to their works .You send people to jail like they have no value .yow you will pay for your SINS
WEY PAPA .WELL SA U OUT TO SEND ALL POOR PEAPLE TO JAIL.
That magistrate unfair!!! Nothing but naivety leads Tiyani to pose such judgement. FYAHHHHHHH BURN BEHANZIN !!!!!!!
why among all the trees that JAH created , man just choose one and decide to make it elegal? man will have to start smoking mango leaf to see if the babilon system will make mango elegal.
ITS NOT A TREE. ITS A HERB OR A PLANT.
Mr selling crack and weed and yes he does have a plantation. It is about time he was stopped. Magistrate Behanzin is right on the money, the police should do their jobs and destroy his plantation and shut down his crack business which is destroying all our young men. This Magistrate would have considered a Community Service Order, like he normally does for this amount of weed, but he was right to observe the large amount of fine quality seeds!!!!
Why didn’t the cops set up a sting operation to catch him in the act of supplying instead of making assumptions of intent to supply. Cannabis seeds were found in his possession and he was fined for intent to supply because the magistrate was convinced that he probably has a plantation! Don’t we need irrefutable proof in a court of law?
By the way, has Dominica fully embraced metric measurements? Why are illegal drugs only measured in grams. Is the quantity of drugs given in metric to give an illusion of an extra large quantity? For example: instead of accusing the guy for possession of 8 ounces or 1/2 pound of cannabis seeds, we were told that he had 223 grams of seeds. Earlier this week Myron, from St. Joseph, was charged with possession of
30 000 grams of cannabis. That sounds like a truck-load of cannabis when in fact he had just about 66 pounds of cannabis. Is it a play on figures to justify a harsher fine than that charged for slashing a teenager with a cutlass? The court is only looking out for its share of drug money. Why not just legalize cannabis and impose taxes like on tobacco?
Leave the herb alone… Its GOD’s creation…
Can’t stop the river from flowing, you can’t stop the breezes from blowing and you definitely can’t stop the TREES FROM GROWING.
typical
He does not have a chimney. why smoke!
People “Smoke” marijuana because it’s illegal. I’m not implying that people won’t smoke if it ‘s legal but i guarantee that less people will.
hmph well all the man have to do is sell the weed now to get the eight grand
BoMBOclattt… dat magistrate realll
One day Magistrate Behanzin will be judged by Jah the Almighty Father of heaven & earth……. Fire and brimstone for all babylon! The man has his seeds to plant for himself to smoke. What is it your concern if the man wants to smoke marijuana for his personal use? There is no evidence that he is selling marijuana, there was no marijuana plant found on his property, or any marijuana for personal consumption. All he had were SEEDS and you fined the man $8,000!? The man say he doesn’t have the money to buy marijuana to smoke which is why he had the seeds to grow. So how do you expect him to come up wit $8,000? Magistrate Behanzin obviously wants the man to take 6 months jail because he knows the man cannot afford to pay that amount. SMH…… That is wickedness.
(jah is my judge) you did not read “Give me a break” comment when the person said “Mr selling crack and weed and yes he does have a plantation. It is about time he was stopped. ”
so what is your problem DRUGS is illegal.
Glenroy file for appeal!!! You will win. Magistrate Tiyani Behanzin is still doing whatever he wants which is not right. Charging the man with intent to supply SEEDS. Nonsense! Magistrate Behanzin your turn will come one day when you too will be judged.