Rupununi youth ordered to provide community service, pay fine for marijuana possession

Last Updated on Tuesday, 31 August 2021, 15:23 by Denis Chabrol

An 18-year old man from St. Ignatius, Rupununi has been ordered to provide community service and pay a GY$15,000 fine after he was convicted for being in possession of two grammes of marijuana, police said.

Cyril Miguel age 18 years was arrested on Monday and was charged on Tuesday with being in possession of the marijuana for the purpose of trafficking.

Police said the unemployed man pleaded guilty, fined and ordered to provide three weeks of community service which is to be supervised by the officer-in-charge of the Lethem Police Station.

A House bipartisan parliamentary select committee has been established to remove custodial sentences for small amounts of marijuana.

The Rastafarian community has for decades been advocating for the decriminalisation of the possession of small amounts of marijuana, saying that the herb is being used as a religious sacrament.

The Inter-Religious Organisation has lent its support to the position by the Rastafarian community.

Meanwhile, a

A 53-year old resident of Lethem has been charged with possession of 700 grammes of marijuana and has been placed on $100,000 bail

Police said Roger Garraway, a minibus driver of Lethem, was arrested and charged on Tuesday with possession of the marijuana for the purpose of trafficking.

Facts: The accused was arrested on 2021-08-31 and was charged on 2021-08-31 with possession of narcotics for the purpose of trafficking 700 grams of Cannabis.

He appeared at Lethem Magistrate’s Court before Magistrate Mr. Allan Wilson and pleaded not guilty. The case was adjourned to 2021-09-17 for the report.