Man, found ‘cutting-up weed’ by police, gets three years prison with $157,000 fine

During an application for bail, Byas’s lawyer, Clyde Forde said last Novemeber his client was returning home on the day in question, when police ranks approached him and requested to conduct a search of his home.

Forde explained his client resides in the upper flat of a two-storey building. He added police found the drugs at the bottom flat of the building which is abandoned.

He had requested Byas be admitted to reasonable bail based on the premise he had no knowledge, control or custody of the prohibited substance, and that multiple persons have access to the abandoned place.

However, Police Prosecutor Shawn Gonsalves then argued the police ranks visited the defendant’s home and observed him cutting something and placing it in Ziploc bags.

Gonsalves told the court the defendant told police he resided at the premises, which resulted in them conducting a search, during which the marijuana was found on a table.

The prosecutor objected to bail for the defendant citing the seriousness and prevalence of the offence.