Man who tried to smuggle weed in shawarma fined for damaging court bus

By Latrishka Thomas

A man who attempted to smuggle cannabis inside a shawarma has been ordered to pay $1,000 for the crimes he committed while escaping.

Yesterday, 23-year-old Zavier Harris accepted responsibility for causing more than $400 damage to the right door mirror of the court’s bus, and also admitted to beating an officer who was in the lawful execution of his duties.

On July 29, at around 7.30pm, Harris went to St John’s Police Station and indicated that he had brought a shawarma for a prisoner.

An officer took the food and asked the defendant to accompany him to the holding cell.

Upon searching the food, the officer noticed that a piece of foil containing cannabis was inside the sandwich.

The officer took out the foil and Harris grabbed it, pushed the officer, and ran off.

While running away, he came in contact with the side mirror of the government vehicle and broke it off before escaping through the back gate.

Later that night, he turned himself in to the police and was charged for the aforementioned offences.

His lawyer, Lawrence Daniels, argued that he accidentally “touched” the officer.

And Harris said, in his defence, that the shawarma had been given to him to deliver and he did not know what was inside.

Chief Magistrate Joanne Walsh ordered him to pay $500 for the damage to the bus and an additional $500 for battery on the officer.

If he fails to pay the fine by August 19, he will spend three months in jail for each charge.

Meanwhile, 53-year-old Wenty Williams will be sentenced today for breaking into the Antigua Fisheries Complex at the West Bus Station Terminal and stealing several items while failing to comply with the national curfew, as well as cultivating and possessing 17 cannabis plants.

Williams broke into the complex on July 25 and stole over $1,000 worth of items and $75 in cash.

He was caught on camera while causing damage to the burglar bars on the building, entering the property, supposedly counting the cash and removing the money and items.

While in custody, the police executed a search warrant at his Cooks Hill home and, instead of finding the stolen items, they found 17 cannabis plants.

Thus, in addition to the theft, he was charged with the unlawful possession of cannabis plants and cultivating said plants.

 Today, Williams will reappear before Chief Magistrate Walsh to be sentenced.