By FARRAH JOHNSON
Tribune Staff Reporter
fjohnson@tribunemedia.net
A 20-year-old man who was found with more than two ounces of marijuana was fined $300 in court yesterday.
Shaquille Powell was arrested after police found 2.78 ounces of Indian hemp in his jacket and car on November 27.
He pleaded guilty to two counts of dangerous drug possession with intent to supply during a hearing before Deputy Chief Magistrate Andrew Forbes.
The court was told that on the day in question, officers on mobile patrol on Chestnut Street approached the accused and informed him that he would be searched for dangerous drugs and firearms. During their investigation, officers found a bag with 20 grams of suspected marijuana in Powell’s jacket. The prosecution said the officers also found another quantity of marijuana in a derelict car in the yard of the accused while $258 was also seized from the accused as the proceeds of crime.
After accepting Powell’s guilty plea, Magistrate Forbes told him he should rethink the decisions he was making to avoid having to appear in court. He subsequently fined him $300 or one month in prison.
In a separate incident, 21-year-old Rashad Black appeared before Magistrate Forbes after he was found with 1.18 ounces of Indian hemp on November 26.
The prosecution said around 7.35pm that evening, officers on mobile patrol said Black appeared to look in their direction before acting in a suspicious manner. The court heard when officers attempted to approach the accused, he ran. When they gave chase, they observed Black throwing a bag on the top of the roof of a building that he ran past. Officers eventually apprehended the accused and took him back to the place where he threw the bag. When they retrieved it, they discovered 22 small clear Ziploc bags each containing a quantity of suspected marijuana. Black was subsequently arrested and charged.
During the hearing, Black pleaded guilty to dangerous drug possession with intent to supply and insisted he “felt awful about the situation” and was “very sorry” for his actions.
As a result, Magistrate Forbes fined him $200 or two months in custody.
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