Seven men were remanded to Her Majesty’s Prison Dodds today on several criminal offences.
Mervyn Walter Hunte, of No. 46 Emerald Park East, Six Roads, St Philip got an automatic 28-day remand time when he appeared before Chief Magistrate Christopher Birch on gun, ammunition and drug charges. His six co-accused were sent to the St Phillip institution following arguments for and against bail.
Hunte is charged with possession of 16 rounds of .45 ammunition, possession of a firearm as well as possession of cannabis, possession with intent to supply and trafficking of cannabis. He is further alleged to have engaged in money laundering where he was in possession of BDS$46, 300; US$8,115 and €$50, being the proceeds of crime.
The accused, who is represented by attorney-at-law Angella Mitchell-Gittens, was not required to plead to the indictable offences which allegedly occurred on November 9.
The 49-year-old man is also accused along with 52-year-old Douglas Fitzgerald Hurdle and 21-year-old Himfari Daniel Hurdle both of Work Hall, St Philip; 58-year-old Kenneth Donald Maycock, of Fitts Village, St James; 43-year-old Rayburn Therold Kidd, of Black Rock, St Michael; and 40-year-old Shern Andre Peters, of Martins Road, Pine, St Michael with possession of cannabis, possession with intent to supply and trafficking of cannabis on November 8 as well as knowingly handling cannabis on the same date which was intended by them or some other person for supply.
All seven men pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Station Sergeant Peter Barrow objected to bail for all the accused men based on the nature and seriousness of the offences and fears that they would re-offend.
Making specific reference to Small, the prosecutor also objected to bail based on the fact that he was already on bail, so to was Peters who is a non-national.
In the case of Douglas Hurdle and Kidd, officer Barrow submitted that they had a number of similar antecedents and said while Himfari Hurdle and Maycock were unknown, the charges before the court were very serious and “appeared to be out of some complexity and design.”
However, Queen’s Counsel Michael Lashley who appeared with attorney-at-law Dayna Taylor Lavine argued that their clients Maycock and Douglas Hurdle were proper candidates for bail. Lashley pointed out that Maycock was not known to the courts and was gainfully employed as a taxi driver and had a medical condition that needed attention. He went on to say that while Hurdle had prior convictions, he was a businessman of a few years and an employer.
Attorney-at-law Marlon Gordon appearing for Himfari Hurdle said his client was a “prime” candidate for bail as he was not known to the law courts and was gainfully employed. The defence attorney also put in a bail application for Kidd saying the accused man was a Barbadian who had paid his debt to society on his antecedents.
Gittens who is also legal counsel for Peters and Small strongly argued that the quantum of the drug involved was 12.462 kilogrammes and a hefty fine, as opposed to a custodial sentence, was previously imposed on persons who had pleaded guilty on a first offence for higher amounts.
“At this stage, it is a mere allegation and any time in prison should not be imposed,” Gittens argued.
All the attorneys submitted that conditions could be imposed on bail to allay the prosecutor’s fears that their clients would abscond from court.
The submissions were however not enough to prevent the six men from spending their first of at least a 28-day stay at Dodds prison.
All seven men will return before Chief Magistrate Birch on December 10
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