Freeport man guilty of trafficking cocaine — for sentence today

FREEPORT resident Nandlal Sooknanan was yesterday found guilty of possession of 20 kgs of cocaine for the purpose of trafficking, when he appeared before High Court Judge Pamela Elder in the Port-of-Spain Assizes. He faces a maximum sentence of life in prison on the charge.

The nine member jury deliberated for the maximum three hours. However when the members of the jury were summoned by the judge they informed her that they had not arrived at a unanimous verdict. She inquired if additional time would assist them in arriving at a verdict and they assured her that it would. They then took a further 30 minutes and returned the guilty verdict. When asked if he had anything to offer to the court before sentencing was passed, attorney Leon Gokool, who appeared for Sooknanan, asked the court for some time to prepare his plea in mitigation.

The judge then agreed to adjourn the matter until today, when Gokool will present his plea in mitigation before sentencing is handed down. Sooknanan was arrested and charged for the offence on April 13, 1999, after a crocus bag containing the cocaine was found in the front seat of his car, which was parked along the Solomon Hochoy Highway near the Chase Village Flyover. This is the second time that Sooknanan appeared before the court on the charges. In November last year a jury returned a hung verdict in the matter, which resulted in the case returning to trial. Attorney Kathy-Ann Waterman-Latchoo represented the state.