Dominican man fined $3000 for marijuana and is to stand trial for more drugs

By Zaya Williams

Dominican national Otis George, has to pay $3000 for almost 90 grams of marijuana that was found in his possession.

The man, who claims that he is unaware of the nature of the cannabis laws in Antigua and Barbuda, was found with 88.8 grams of week in his home.

His Fort Road residence was searched on June 29 by officers who obtained a search warrant for that purpose.

During the search, they found three transparent plastic bags on a shelf and a sum of money in a gray bag

George was arrested and taken to a police station where the drugs were weighed and the money was counted.

The former amounted to 88.8 grams of the controlled drug worth $888 while the money, which were thought to be proceeds of a crime, added up to $460.

The defendant was then charged for possession of the illegal drug, possession with intent to transfer the weed to another person and being concerned with the supply of the drug.

He pleaded guilty to the possession charge on Monday and the others were discharged.

George, who has been on the island for almost a year, told the court that the drug was for his personal use and although he knew there is a law in place in the country, he is unaware of what it stipulates.

Chief Magistrate Joanne Walsh then fined him $3000 and gave him until the end of September to pay or he could spend six months in prison.

George is also facing the same charges but in relation to 262.3 grams of cannabis.
He is charged alongside Renee Horsford who was granted bail on Monday in the sum of $5000 with a $1500 cash component.

The two men pleaded not guilty and will therefore stand trial on August 22.