Family in court for trafficking cocaine

RELATIVES of a family who appeared before a Princes Town magistrate yesterday charged with trafficking in $.25 million in cocaine, reportedly were unable to raise the accused person’s bail which amounted to $525,000, resulting in the family being remanded into custody at Remand Yard, Arouca. Sterling Scipio, 34, Earl Sandy, 30, Richard Charles, 26, Shawn Marcano, 23, Erica Scipio, 15, Crystal Bates, 14, and Jillian Figaro, 18, who are all from St Julien Village in Princes Town, appeared before First Court Magistrate Jai Narine.

They were represented by attorney Richard Valere. The magistrate granted bail in the sum of $75,000 for each of the accused persons and adjourned the case to April 29 for summary trial. They were charged with possession of cocaine for the purpose of trafficking last Friday at a house in Princes Town. Newsday was told that contrary to previous reports, the parents of the teenaged accused persons were not home at the time of an alleged drug bust by police headed by Sgt Errol Ramdath and including PCs Singh, Ali, Samaroo and arresting officer PC Sulliman.

According to the charge, which was laid indictably, the family members stand accused of possession of 12 kilos of cocaine which carries an estimated local street value of $.25 million, for the purpose of trafficking. Despite efforts by newspaper photographers to get photos of the accused as they made their way to court first at 9 am and later at 1 pm, court police barred them and the accused persons were allowed to pass through an alley which is off-limits to the public, to reach the courthouse.