Man released on bond

Acosta, a former supervisor for the Urban Development Corporation (Udecott) stood before Senior Magistrate Nanette Forde-John charged with the possession of marijuana and heroin with intent to traffic. Augustus was arrested by officers of the Organised Crime and Narcotics Bureau (OCNB) during the execution of a search warrant at his Barataria home in 2009.

Charges were read aloud in open court yesterday and Augustus pleaded guilty. His attorney Patrick Godson-Phillips told the court that eight years in prison awaiting the trial’s start, was tantamount to a sentence served. He said Acosta was deeply traumatised on being separated from his family for so long.

“Your worship, my client has no previous matters before the court and during his time in prison he has shown good character. When a man is charged with an offence between the time of his arrest to the time he appears in court, there is trauma. They don’t forget about it.

I am convinced he has turned over a new leaf and is trying to put the past behind him.” Magistrate Forde-John placed Acosta on a bond to be of good behaviour and then informed him that the case was ended and he was free to go. Acosta thanked the magistrate and left, walking out of the courthouse and seeing Port of Spain as a free man, for the first time in eight years.