By Tahna Weston
A man will face a trial for possession of marijuana and cocaine even after he admitted to two of the four charges.
Javid Swift appeared before Magistrate Ngaio Emanuel in the District “B” All Saints Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday, June 12, charged with one count each of unlawful possession of cannabis and cocaine.
Swift was also charged with possession with intent to transfer both sets of illegal substances to which he pleaded not guilty.
He, however, pleaded guilty to possession of the marijuana and the cocaine, an offence the police allege occurred on January 4 this year at Creekside.
Reportedly the marijuana has an estimated street value of $6,000 and the cocaine just over $7,000.
The court, because of Swift’s guilty pleas, was ready to proceed with hearing the facts of the case; however, the prosecution asked for an adjournment.
Magistrate Emanuel was curious as to why the police did not wish to proceed since the man had admitted to two of the charges and, if he were to be found guilty on the other two, the sentences would run concurrently.
The female prosecutor told the court that before she got to court, she had received certain instructions to request a date for trial, even in spite of any admittance to the lesser counts.
Magistrate Emanuel stood down the case to allow the prosecutor to seek further directives from her superiors.
The prosecutor later returned that her instructions, received from head of the police prosecution department Inspector Dane Bontiff, is that a date be set for the trial.
Swift returns to court next Monday, June 17, because the court has requested a medical report since he is complaining about an injury to his foot, which is obvious because he was limping.
However, the magistrate said that she needs an official report from a medical doctor in order for her to determine whether to grant him bail or remand him to prison since he had breached previous reporting conditions.
Swift appeared before the court last Friday and because he allegedly explained that his ailment had contributed to his tardiness in signing in to the nearest police station, he was given time to obtain a medical report to present to the court.
But instead he presented a sick leave to the court, which he had obtained only the day before.
