Miss TT Faye Alibocus’ brother on TT$20M ‘ganja’ charge

RICHARD Alibocus, 29, brother of reigning Miss Trinidad and Tobago Beauty Queen Faye Alibocus, was refused bail by a San Fernando Magistrate, before whom he appeared yesterday charged with trafficking TT$20 million in compressed mari-juana. Erasmo Vidale Malave Cova, 44, of Campana, Venezuela, appeared alongside Alibocus on the joint charge of possession of 26.2 grammes of marijuana at Gulf View Link Road. Alibocus faced the charge of trafficking 287 kilos of compressed marijuana at his Bonanza Gardens, Green Acres, San Fernando home. Both charges were alleged to have been committed on Tuesday.

Alibocus and Cova appeared before Second Court Magistrate Sonia Aleong, who refused them bail on their respective charges, and advised them of their right to apply to a Judge in Chambers, for the said bail. Alibocus was represented by attorneys Prakash Ramadhar, Brian Dabideen and Chateram Sinanan. After the charges were read in court, Aleong along with the court prosecutor Cpl Samaroo and police complainant Cpl Matthew-Noel, went to the basement of the courthouse to view the marijuana exhibits. The media was not allowed to accompany them. Ramadhar made an application for bail, but Cpl Samaroo contended that Alibocus  had pending matters including assault robbery. Cpl Samaroo also said the drugs were found at Bonanza Gardens, Green Acres, Alibocus’ supposed address, but he (Alibocus) also gave police his address as Park Street, San Fernando. Cpl Samaroo argued that if bail was granted, police would not know where to find Alibocus.   

Pleading Alibocus’ case, Ramadhar told Aleong, “My client comes from one of the finest families in the South.” During Ramadhar’s plea for bail, Alibocus’ mother Gail Alibocus and other family members and friends, sat quietly in the public gallery of the court and at times, could be seen wiping away tears. Ramadhar said his client was a father of  two children aged two and five, and has his own business of renting a car to  customers.

However, Aleong told the court she had two concerns about granting bail, namely, the severity of the sentence if Alibocus is convicted and the quantum of the drugs, he is charged with trafficking. Through his interpreter Murchison Centeno Elie, of the Caribbean Institute of Languages and International Business, Cova told the court he arrived in this country around 6.30 pm on Sunday by boat which contained his legal documents. He claimed the boat was stolen. Cova explained that he had no relatives in Trinidad and is a fisherman who came to Trinidad to purchase parts for his fishing net. He said he had planned to return to Venezuela next Monday. The matter was subsequently adjourned to September 25.