Two of four locals who had been remanded in connection with a drug bust in Soufriere recently have been granted bail.
Yohan Flynn of Bath Road and Craig Cochrane of Kingshill were released on a $50,000 bail bond each when they appeared before Magistrate Ossie Lewis Monday morning.
The men were jointly charged with Gerald Germain of Bath Estate, John Sylvester of Lagoon Portsmouth, and Irwin Miller of St Vincent for allegedly importing 10,000 grams (10 kilos) or 22 pounds of cured marijuana on January 6.
Though bail was opened to all local defendants, Sylvester and Germain were remanded for an additional seven days as they failed to provide sureties to stand them bail.
Miller had pleaded guilty to all charges when he was arraigned on January 9, 2012 and appeared for facts and sentencing deferred till Thursday before Chief Magistrate Evelina Baptiste.
Their charges were: possession of cannabis, possession with intent to supply 10 kilos of cannabis, importation of cannabis, conspiracy to import cannabis and illegal entry.
Lawyer for Flynn, Wayne Norde disclosed in court that the street value of the drugs was $22,000.
He asked the court to consider that it was “not a very high” figure.
He also pointed out that one man had already pleaded guilty to all the offenses while Flynn and four other defendants had pleaded not guilty.
“That doesn’t mean that the others are not guilty,” Magistrate Lewis responded.
Flynn was told to report to the Roseau Police Station twice a week, Mondays and Wednesdays, and to tell the court of any change of address.
His bail conditions also state that he ought not to commit any further offense while on bail.
“If you violate or breach then bail can be vacated and you can be rearrested or denied further bail,” Lewis warned.
Similar conditions and words of caution were extended to Cochrane.
Sylvester and Germain have been told that they can present a surety to the court on any day before the seven-day period of remand expires, once they get permission to be brought to court.
Their trial will start on April 23, 2012.
Police had reported that the drugs were found at about 2 am on January 6, on a Mitsubishi bus registration number PJ033 registered to Marcus A. Cuffy of Bath Estate.
It was allegedly being driven by Flynn who was said to have been accompanied by Germain and Miller.
Additionally, at Soufriere, one Yamaha motorcycle registration number PF 350 allegedly driven by owner Craig Cochrane and an open keel boat commanded by Sylvester were also intercepted.
i not sympathizin wit no one because u guys greedy. want to sell weed for man agwas. $10 a gram and de weed still rubbish. when police hold you all i cah feel noway.
legalize it.
so long yohann in his thing..n he jus com out jail in gwada uno..but thn agan is 1 set they does talk about…demm man 2 greedy more they have more they want…
so wat if d man in his ting.. u nt payin his bills.. u jus puttin his business outside 4u to feel betta.. everybody hv der battle to fight
I know Yohan very well from my days on bath road. His brother Allen and I were real tight when I still lived on Island. Allen was lost in a motorcycle crash. Yohan was but a little boy when I left Dominica. He had a big mouth and was troublesome. His mother is a good woman who deserves no more pain in her life. Yohan if you get this message: please assess the course of your life young brother. You need not go this route. Life is too short to waste it engaging in these activities of which you were ALLEGED to be involved with. Dominicans as a whole; preserve the beauty and innocence that is Dominica. Stand firm slackness.
Blessings all….
I meant to say stand firm AGAINST slackness.
Dominica just has to LEGALIIZE MARIJUANA or Decriminalize it!
St.Vincent Decriminalized it now see how they benefiting from it, our . And no, there are no more users in Vincy than in Dominica where it’s treated worse than murderers who mostly walk free.
I am not against judges, they serve a great role, but they all smoked marijuana and/or drink alcohol at some point in life, and still able to get an education, so did I and many of you reading this. What the h*!! is wrong with these “hollyer-than-thou” type of people now?
You claim that St. Vincent is BENEFITING from the decriminalization of Cannabis. I beg to differ. Look at the continued criminal activity including death of our own nationals from the drug trafficking of “Vincentian Ganja.” What about the mothers who have lost their sons to Substance addiction. Because as we well know; what was once “just a spliff” is no more. THC levels are being tampered with, joints laced with crack-cocaine and dipped in Phencyclidine. Alas my misguided bredren, the solution is not in legalizing as much as it is controlled production by DESIGNATED individuals. As such anyone other than those individuals will be prosecuted to the full extent of the law if caught rearing or distributing. I propose a mandatory 20 years. My suggestion is that we institute a measure where by specific individuals with knowledge and accountability are afforded the opportunity to grow cannabis as a crop and in a supervised manner do so with the specific intent of supplying stores who would in turn sell specific quantities to individuals of at least 21 years of age, not convicted of criminal activity or in recovery from past addictions.
you that cah cah c bruce there,you like to talk i see,read and understand what people write befor you comment.
F Y I the us federal government, just last week stated that it is more dangerous to smoke cigarett than weed.Now if it is ligalize the that you know so well they putting in the weed, will not be nesscessary, every body will grow their own stuff,like the rest of the herb we grow and use.
Doe make weed a drug, you even want the big boys to control it too.WICKED
to kill a pig, you apply heat;to win a lawsuit, you apply money.
marijuana that destroying Dominica not the prime minister.
i more believe is your ignorance.
They will kill our children to get reach
some much they smoke herbs it leting them look old,
nice brother
what lol are
jail
lol
what on nice
YUH BAIL MORE THAN TWICE D VALUE OF D PRODUCT YUH MOVING….WAT A SHAME….HAHAHAHAHA
I hope they impose maximum sentence on all these guys. Our justice system is already a joke so I am not optimistic that justice will take it’s course.
One is considered innocent until proven guilty. The men have been charged. Let us wait and see the evidence presented. If you are without sin then cast the first stone. They are in the open and all and sundry knows what happenned. But before you make those comments ensure that you are blameless. All sin is sin, none is worse than the other as we were made to believe. For your information even hatred is like murdering the person you hate.
craigy u large..freedom is must
fools they b duno how to make a real sin go down