Farmer must reap $900 or spend four months in jail

Uganda Bailey only wanted to provide for his three kids, but instead he ended up on the wrong side of the law.{{more}}

Bailey, a 32 year-old farmer, of Rillan Hill, pleaded guilty at the Serious Offences Court on Monday to having 562 grams of cannabis in his possession at Kingstown on August 25, 2008.

Chief Magistrate Sonya Young fined Bailey $900 to be paid in two months or he risks going to prison for four months.

At about 9:50am, members of RRU were on mobile patrol in the area of the reclamation site when the defendant was spotted sitting on a bench. PC 656 Walker alighted the Police transport and requested a search of Bailey and a bag next to him. While searching the bag, a brown taped package was found containing the illegal drug.

He was cautioned by the officers and Bailey replied, “Officer, gimme ah chance please.”

Mitigating on his own behalf, Bailey told the court that he was trying to help out his youth. “I was planning to sell it to make some money and I only tape it up to hide the smell,” Bailey explained.

Magistrate Young told Bailey that she had seen a lot of drugs pass through the court and when they are taped, it means that it is for exporting. “This is the reason I am going to fine you hard,” Young said.