54-year-old Loviques Clecidor, 43-year-old Yorick Bain, 35-year-old Mark Kemp and 27-year-old Jeanor Erne.
By LAMECH JOHNSON
Tribune Staff Reporter
ljohnson@tribunemedia.net
FOUR men were arraigned in Magistrates Court yesterday in connection with the recent seizure of more than $200,000 worth of marijuana in Eastern New Providence.
The men, two Haitians and two Bahamians, appeared before Magistrate Andrew Forbes moments after another three of four men recently charged in connection with another major seizure – of $900,000 worth of marijuana – had a change of heart and owned up to their involvement in that operation.
Concerning the May 22 drug seizure at Colony Village, however, Loviques Clecidor, 54, Yorick Bain, 43, Mark Kemp, 35, and Jeanor Erne, 27, pleaded not guilty to the four drug charges they will stand trial for on September 1.
The charges they face are possession of dangerous drugs with intent to supply, conspiracy to possess dangerous drugs with intent to supply, conspiracy to import dangerous drugs and importation of dangerous drugs.
Around 2pm on the day in question, a team of officers from the Drug Enforcement Unit (DEU) acted on a tip and went to a residence at Colony Village where they searched a black Chevy truck.
Officers discovered 158lbs of marijuana with an estimated street value of $237,000.
Magistrate Forbes informed the men that the question of bail did not arise due to the nature of the charges. Before remanding them to Her Majesty’s Prison to await trial, he informed them of their right to apply for bail to the Supreme Court.
Concerning the May 22 $900,000 marijuana seizure off Carmichael Road, Wayne Pryce, 53, of Kingston, Jamaica, with Ty Wallace, 35, and 48-year-old Theodore Lockhart – both of Maple Street – pleaded guilty to possession of dangerous drugs with intent to supply, conspiracy to possess dangerous drugs with intent to supply, conspiracy to import dangerous drugs and importation of dangerous drugs.
Magistrate Forbes sentenced the men to four years at Her Majesty’s Prison while setting September 16 as the date for trial for the last defendant, 32-year-old Jamal Greene of Boil Fish Avenue.
On the morning in question, a team of officers from the DEU acting on a tip, arrested the four suspects off Carmichael Road around 6am.
The team intercepted a white van in the area of Faith Avenue off Cowpen Road. The van allegedly had 37 packages of suspected marijuana weighing about 670lbs. The men who were arrested were inside a vehicle owned by the company Miya, which has a partnership with the Water and Sewerage Corporation to reduce water losses.
Greene, an employee of the company, had completed an overnight shift that ended at 5am, a statement from Miya said.
Commenting has been disabled for this item.