South man jailed three years for ‘coke’

A 42-year-old San Fernando man, who pleaded guilty to possession of cocaine, was Friday sentenced to three years imprisonment by a San Fernando magistrate. Knolly Nelson received the sentence before Magistrate Sonia Aleong in the San Fernando Second Court. Cpl Joey Samaroo was the court prosecutor. According to the evidence, around 7 pm on April 28 police officers were on mobile patrol in the  vicinity of King’s Wharf, San Fernando. They noticed the defendant, while looking in the direction of the police vehicle, place an item into his pants pocket, before walking off in the opposite direction.

The officers became suspicious and stopped and search him. A transparent plastic bag was found in his pocket containing cocaine rocks which weighed four grammes. He was arrested and taken to the San Fernando Police Station where WPC Basrath laid the charge. Nelson has two previous convictions for similar offences, factors the magistrate considered before passing sentence.