Granny freed on cocaine charge — weeps

The 72-year-old Arima granny had accused the police of framing her by planting 21 grammes of cocaine in her house at Temple Street, Arima on March 30, 2002.

The police case was that Layne was under surveillance by Cpl Ramrattan Jugmohan, who had observed persons visiting her home. On March 30, 2002, he obtained a warrant and searched Layne’s house. He said he found a plastic bag on a shelf behind a television set with the cocaine.

The State’s case was presented by prosecutors Kathy Ann Waterman-Latchoo and Tricia Hudlin while attorney Nathaniel King represented Layne.

Layne said the police’s testimonies were not true. She said the police framed her — it was a big set up. They planted the drug in the house.

She told Justice Malcolm Holdip and a jury of four women and three men that she did not live at Temple Street, but at O’meara Road, Arima, with her common-law husband. She admitted owning the building at Temple Street where there are apartments and where her grandchildren lived. She said she had never seen the bag with the cocaine until the day the police searched the premises. She said she saw PC Maharaj with the bag in his hand and when she asked him what it was he refused to show it to her. However, he later showed her the bag and said he suspected it was illegal drugs and that she was under arrest.

The jury took about two and half hours before coming to their decision.