By Latrishka Thomas
Six thousand dollars is the fine that a 31-year-old Villa man will have to pay to avoid being sent to jail for possession with intent to transfer 208 grams of cannabis.
Yesterday, Akeem Shields admitted to the unlawful possession of the drug, and possession with intent to transfer the same.
The court heard that around 6.45am on Friday, officers executed a search warrant at the defendant’s home and found something resembling the controlled drug, cannabis.
Shields admitted to the officers that it was indeed cannabis.
The officers also found EC$3,740 and US$25 which they suspected to have been obtained from the sale of the drugs, so the money was seized.
Ziploc bags, a sealer and a scale were also recovered along with the drugs which are valued at $2,080.
Shields’ lawyer, Sherfield Bowen, mitigated on his client’s behalf saying that some of the cash was found in his shop while the rest was money being saved each pay period from his work.
Police prosecutor Allan Honoré pointed out that the defendant admitted to selling drugs.
Bowen also put to the magistrate that the evidence is tainted because the monies were not separated.
But the magistrate shared the receipts with the court, which state that $830 was found in the shop.
Despite Bowen’s persistent argument to have the money returned to the defendant, the magistrate refused, noting that scales and other equipment used to sell drugs were also seized.
Bowen’s mitigation also included the fact that Shields pleaded guilty at the earliest opportunity and he is a father of three.
Thereafter, the 31-year-old was sentenced to pay $6,000 for intent to transfer and was reprimanded for possession of the drugs.
Should he fail to pay the fine by September 30, he will spend a year in jail.
Chief Magistrate Joanne Walsh ordered that the drugs and items be destroyed, and the monies handed over to the state.