DIAMOND — Venezuelan national Gerardo Martinez has been granted $8 million bail following a renewed application by his attorney, Bernard Da Silva, at the Diamond Magistrates’ Court.
When the matter was called before the court, defense counsel presented supporting documentation for Martinez, which included business registration details, National Insurance Scheme (NIS) and Tax Identification Number (TIN) certificates, compliance records from the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA), and a local guarantor.
The court approved the bail application under strict conditions:
Passport Surrender: Martinez is required to lodge his passport with the court.
Mandatory Reporting: He must report to the Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit (CANU) headquarters every Friday.
The matter has been adjourned to September 21, 2026, for the commencement of the trial.
Martinez faces a charge of possession of narcotics for the purpose of trafficking, stemming from a joint operation conducted by CANU ranks on July 24, 2026, along the Providence Public Road, East Bank Demerara. Authorities intercepted a vehicle and allegedly recovered 50 brick-like parcels of cocaine weighing a total of 55.296 kilograms.
Co-accused Revelino Achicue Ascue, a Colombian national arrested during the same operation, previously pleaded guilty to the charge and was sentenced to four years in prison alongside an $82.944 million fine.
