One man has been sentenced to prison while another remains in custody following their arrest for drug possession earlier this month.
Daniel Quintyn, 22, a construction worker from Stanleytown, New Amsterdam, and Jamera Wills, 31, a miner from Savannah Park, New Amsterdam, appeared before Magistrate Michelle Matthias at the Blairmont Magistrate’s Court.
On January 3, the court heard that authorities discovered 3.70 kilograms of cannabis on Naarstigheid Public Road, West Coast Berbice, where both men were allegedly found for the purpose of trafficking.
Wills pleaded not guilty to the charges, while Quintyn admitted his guilt. Neither defendant had legal representation during the proceedings.
Prosecutor Sergeant Garfield Edwards argued against granting bail to Wills, citing his awareness of the narcotics he was transporting and expressing concerns that he might not return for trial if released. Magistrate Matthias denied bail, emphasizing the seriousness of the case, and ordered Wills to be remanded to prison.
In the sentencing hearing for Quintyn, Prosecutor Edwards detailed that police, on patrol along Naarstigheid Public Road, observed the duo on a motorcycle without helmets and behaving suspiciously. Upon stopping and searching them, officers found nine large parcels containing suspected cannabis leaves, seeds, and stems.
Following the search, both suspects were informed of the allegations, cautioned, and arrested. The cannabis was sealed and retained at the Fort Wellington Police Station.
Quintyn claimed during the hearing that the cannabis was not his, asserting he was merely transporting it for someone else as part of a job he accepted due to financial troubles stemming from a car accident in which both he and a female were injured.
After considering his claims, Magistrate Matthias sentenced Quintyn to 36 months in prison. She advised him to seek lawful means of earning income upon his release.
Wills is scheduled to reappear at Fort Wellington Magistrate’s Court on January 29 for further legal proceedings.
