Cocaine accused pundit gets $.2M bail

After having bail applications turned down twice, the pundit charged with possession of cocaine for the purpose of trafficking yesterday had his application approved by a Port-of-Spain magistrate. Appearing for a third time before Magistrate Lianne Lee Kim in the City’s Fourth Court was 43-year-old Earnest Suchan of Sooknanan Trace, Aranguez. Suchan’s attorney, Patrick Godson-Phillips, again made a strong plea on his client’s behalf for bail. “My client is not a well man. He is a diabetic and is in need of urgent medical attention. The prosecution has not put forward any reasonable grounds as to why my client should not be granted bail. It can’t be because they find it (the quantity of cocaine) is plenty, plenty, plenty,” said Godson-Phillips. After his submission, the attorney handed over documents to the magistrate.

On the previous occasion, the magistrate had requested a medical report on the condition of the accused. She had been informed by his attorneys that he was diabetic with a severe skin condition and also had an amputated leg. Asked by the magistrate whether they had any objections to bail being granted, police prosecutor, acting Insp Jules George told the court his only concern was that Suchan might not be able to attend court in his present condition. After going through the documents, the magistrate granted Suchan bail in the sum of $200,000. Suchan was arrested on August 28 after officers of the Organised Crime and Narcotics Unit found 75.6 kilogrammes of liquid cocaine in his possession. The liquid cocaine has an estimated street value of $30.5 million. Suchan will reappear in court on September 27.