Caretaker held with ‘coke’

The kidnapping of Mt Lambert businessman Earl “Banga” Lewis, owner of the Big Apple Hotel, and the subsequent investigation by police on Friday led to the arrest of a Mt Lambert man by St Joseph police.

According to investigations, when officers of the Northern Division police responded to a call for assistance in the investigation, they noticed a man near the hotel acting suspiciously. He was searched and 59.5 grammes of cocaine was found in his pockets. He was taken to the St Joseph Police Station. The 40-year-old man  later appeared before Tunapuna Second Court Magistrate Joanne Connors charged with possesion of the drugs for trafficking. The man, caretaker of the hotel, pleaded not guilty and was placed on $40,000 bail. The matter was adjourned to November 25.