One man on bond, another gets suspended sentence after drugs found in car

When police officers stopped and searched a car and found $8 000 in cannabis, both the driver and the passenger claimed they knew nothing about the drugs.

However, when they appeared before Magistrate Alison Burke in the District ‘A’ Traffic Court on Tuesday, Akeem Emmanuel Chung, 20, of Accommodation Road, Bush Hall, St Michael, and Rashawn Rico Hinds, 25, of Josey Hill, St Lucy pleaded guilty to having, trafficking and intending to supply 897 grammes of cannabis on March 17.

The court heard that police, acting on information that the occupants of a silver Suzuki Swift had drugs, stopped the vehicle on St Mary’s Row and instructed Chung and Hinds to exit. During their search of the vehicle, a bag containing the drugs was found under the front passenger seat.

When asked about the find, Hinds said, “I ain’t know nothing about them. I see dem when I get in de car.” Meanwhile, Chung told the police, “I ain’t know nothing bout dem. He get in de car wid dem.”

Continuing their search, the lawmen also found a package of compressed cannabis under the steering column.

Hinds again denied knowledge but Chung stated, “I on bail for more than that. That is just a lil sain. I ain’t care nutten bout dat. I good’.

For the trafficking offence, Magistrate Burke sentenced Chung to three months at Dodds Prison but suspended it for a year. Meanwhile, Hinds was placed on a bond to keep the peace. If breached, he will have to pay $1 000 immediately or serve three months in prison.

Chung was convicted, reprimanded and discharged for the drug possession charge, while Hinds was reprimanded and discharged.