Another adjournment in drug case

Chris Rogers will have to wait a little bit longer to find out if he will have to answer four drug charges.

When the 56-year-old of #27 York Road Navy, Gardens, Christ Church appeared in the District ‘A’ Magistrates’ Court this morning along with his co-accused Walter O’Neal Prescod, 55, of #107 Emerald Park East, St Philip, the matter was adjourned until September 5.

The two are facing charges of importation, possession, possession with intent to supply and trafficking of 267 pounds of cannabis on July 23, 2018. The illegal drugs were estimated to have a street value of $534,160.

The charges stemmed from a drug bust aboard the Ecstasy, a private yacht owned by Goddard Enterprises.

At their last court appearance, attorney-at-law Queen’s Counsel Andrew Pilgrim, who is representing Rogers, signalled his intention to enter a no-case submission on behalf of his client.

On that occasion, prosecutor Acting Assistant Superintendent Trevor Blackman revealed that the Director of Public Prosecutions had given instructions for the charge against former accused Charles Arthur Herbert to be dropped.

But when they reappeared before Magistrate Douglas Frederick today, the prosecutor told the court while he had received written submissions from Pilgrim, they had only come into his possession last Friday.

The senior officer said as a result he was not yet in a position to respond and asked for an adjournment until the end of the month.

Blackman said he would also submit his written submission to the defense counsel by July 30.

However, in his response Pilgrim said he was hoping the prosecution would be able to respond by next Friday, as he wanted the matter resolved next week.

“I want the matter to press [on] now. The only reason my client Rogers is here is because he was the designated captain on the voyage,” he told the court.

But the prosecutor said he required more time and next week would be too soon.

A date in August had been initially suggested, but after Pilgrim said he would be out during that period, the parties agreed on a September 5 date to return.

Pilgrim also enquired whether police had video footage of “a man putting sacks onto the boat”.

However, the prosecutor said he was not aware of any such evidence.