Two plead guilty to ‘ganja’ charge

TWO men who pleaded guilty to the joint charge of possession of marijuana before a Siparia magistrate yesterday had contrasting sentences — the magistrate placed one of the men on a bond while the other was imprisoned for three months.

Davenand Ramnath, 17, of Quarry Road, Morne Diablo and Ramesh Heeralal, 23, of Rock Road, Penal, appeared before Magistrate Lucina Cardenas-Ragoonanan to answer the charge of possession of marijuana, laid by PC Ramlochan of the Penal CID. According to the court prosecutor, around 11.45 pm on Thursday last, Penal police, under orders from South Western Division head — Snr Supt Paulimos Alphonso — carried out a roadblock in the vicinity of Penal Rock Road. Officers were led by Sgt Mohammed of the Penal CID.

The officers spotted the defendants walking along the road. When Ramnath and Heeralal saw the police, they dropped a small bag and ran off. The officers pursued the two men and held them a short distance away. The bag was recovered by police who found it to contain a small quantity of marijuana. The two were arrested and taken to Penal Police Station where the charge was laid by PC Ramlochan. Ramnath was placed on a three-year bond to keep the peace, while Heeralal was not so lucky as he was sentenced to three months imprisonment.