Ex-prison officer fined $850 for ‘coke’

A FORMER prison officer was fined $850 after pleading guilty before San Fernando Magistrate Sonia Aleong to a charge of possession of cocaine. Franklyn Ramdeen, 42, was given two weeks to pay the fine or in default or payment, serve three months at his former place of work — Golden Grove Prisons. Court prosecutor Cpl Joey Samaroo in relating the facts of the charge laid by PC Hosein, said that around 5.30 pm on March 23, San Fernando police were patrolling Naparima Mayaro Road in Cocoyea Village when they spotted Ramdeen acting in a suspicious manner.

Ramdeen looked in the direction of the approaching police vehicle, turned and started walking briskly in the opposite direction. The officers stopped and searched the ex-prison officer and found a small plastic bag with two rocks of cocaine on the accused. Ramdeen was arrested and taken to San Fernando Police Station where PC Hosein laid the charge. In court yesterday, Ramdeen admitted having a drug habit saying, “I started smoking coke and got addicted.” He also told the court he had this addiction for the past year. Ramdeen who said his addiction led to him being fired from his job, pleaded for assistance to break the illegal habit.