By LEANDRA ROLLE
Tribune Staff Reporter
lrolle@tribunemedia.net
AN American caught trying to travel with marijuana that he claimed was given to him by other visitors while staying at a local resort was fined $500 yesterday.
Steve Chokpelle, 28, was arrested after officers found 17 grams of marijuana among his belongings when they searched his luggage at Lynden Pindling International Airport on December 10.
The court was told that after the drugs were found, Chokpelle was taken to the Drug Enforcement Unit and during his interview with police, he admitted to the offence.
The prosecution said Chokpelle told police the drugs were for his personal use.
During his hearing before Senior Magistrate Derence Rolle-Davis, the 28-year-old pleaded guilty to possession of dangerous drugs.
When given the opportunity to speak, Chokpelle told the court he did not know marijuana was illegal in the country and said he received the drugs while staying at Baha Mar.
The 28-year-old said he was staying at the resort on a one-day business trip with his client, American singer Sean Kingston, who, he said, performed there last Thursday.
Chokpelle said after the show ended, the group went to SLS Skybar and were offered drinks and marijuana from some other American visitors who were at the bar.
Chokpelle told the court he took the “weed”, assuming it was legal based on conversations he had with local taxi drivers and apologised for his actions.
“I apologise. I was here for one day. I would never disrespect the country. I travel for work and I hope y’all can forgive me,” he said.
In response, Magistrate Rolle-Davis ordered for the drugs to be destroyed and subsequently fined Chokpelle $500.
In a separate matter, Edson Joseph, 25, also appeared before Magistrate Rolle-Davis after he was found with five grams of marijuana on December 9.
The prosecution said that around 5.30pm that day, officers in the area of Robinson Road observed a Suzuki and beckoned for the driver to stop.
The court was told that officers conducted a search of the vehicle after smelling a strong scent of marijuana emanating from the vehicle.
While searching, officers found five clear plastic bags containing suspected marijuana in Joseph’s pocket. The defendant was subsequently arrested, cautioned and taken to the nearest police station.
During his interview with police, Joseph admitted having the drugs, which had an estimated street value of $25, for his personal use.
During the hearing, the 25-year-old also confirmed this, telling the court he used the drugs to cope with depression as life had thrown him some “unexpected curveballs” over the last two years.
When asked to elaborate on this by the magistrate, Joseph spoke of his family’s difficulties in finding work in New Providence after relocating from Abaco following Hurricane Dorian in 2019.
“Since we came back to Nassau… no one was working. Everyone was hustling trying to put food on the table and that’s just how it started and ended up to this,” he said.
The 25-year-old also went on to describe himself as a non-violent person who stayed out of trouble.
Asked if he was currently employed, Joseph said he was trying to learn a trade.
In response, Magistrate Rolle-Davis told him to stop using drugs, adding drugs will not make his problems go away.
However, the magistrate said he took into consideration that he had pleaded guilty at the onset of the hearing and subsequently placed him on probation for a year.
Failure to comply with the conditions of his release would result in a $250 fine or three months in prison.
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