‘Muffin’ can’t stop using cocaine

Charles made the statement to Magistrate Natalie Diop, in the Fourth Court, where he appeared charged with possession of 0.5 grammes of cocaine and a device used to smoke cocaine, as well as resisting PC Richard Seetahal in the execution of his duties. Charles, who has multiple aliases, among them Terry Lewis, Techier, Kewee and Muffin, pleaded guilty to all charges and added that he is “fighting” to stop using cocaine. However all attempts have been unsuccessful.

“It ent making sense,” Charles said. “If you send me in prison and I come back out, is the same thing. I use to thief and thing but I stopped that. I want to stop this (using cocaine ) too. I am fighting, fighting, fighting it. Is about 15 years now I am an addict.

I never went to rehab,” Charles said.

Charles, a labourer and father of four, lives at Lower Hillside Street, San Fernando.

Unrepresented by an attorney, Charles said he has prostate cancer and does not receive any medical treatment for it.

When the magistrate enquired if he was a patient of the San Fernando General Hospital, Charles responded he has to “wait” on his mother to go with him to the institution.

“But you are 63 yearsold!” the magistrate remarked to which he responded: “My mother is ah strong woman (sic).” Looking at documents before her, Diop remarked that since 1991 Charles has been “in and out of the court” and has many convictions. She informed him that there is a Drug Treatment Court in San Fernando which caters for addicts and suggested he be part of its programme. She explained that the Director of Public Prosecutions must conduct certain investigations first and once those are completed, officials would decide whether or not he is a good candidate for that court. Diop noted that the process takes a while - “months or even a year”. She granted him $10,000 own bail to cover the three charges and adjourned the case to September 27. As a condition to the bail bond, Charles has to report to the Mon Repos Police Station on Mondays and Fridays between 6 am and 6 pm. Police arrested Charles on Saturday last at Mucurapo Street, San Fernando. PC Seetahal of the E999 Unit, laid the charges