Make better choices, advises magistrate

Prosecutor Sgt Gordon Maharaj told the court that police searched a house in San Fernando on February 1, found the items in a plastic bag, and arrested Ramjohn and two other people.

PC Rampersad of the San Fernando station laid the charge.

Ramjohn’s attorney Subhas Panday yesterday said it was a case of being at the wrong place at the wrong time. He said although the gun and ammunition did not belong to his client, Ramjohn knew they were in the building. He was influenced to be there, Panday added.

Diop said she was not of the view that he was at the wrong place at the wrong time, but believed Ramjohn chose to be there although he knew about the gun and ammunition.

On the charge of gun possession, she fined him $5,000 or in default of payment serve nine months in prison with hard labour.

For the ammunition, he was fined $3,000 or will serve nine months with hard labour in prison.

He has 60 days to pay the fines.

Earlier this week, Diop fined Sherlon Cooper, 22, of Embacadere in San Fernando, $8,000 for possession of a gun and ammunition.

PC George of the Operations Unit, San Fernando, laid the charges to which Cooper entered guilty pleas.

Cooper, who said he was the victim of a shooting, claimed he bought the gun for protection after getting death threats.