Spanish interpreter fails to show

Senior Magistrate Lianne Lee Kim noted that all the parties were ready to start, but was forced to give a September 6 adjournment, because interpreter Murchinson Centeno Elie was not present in court.

From Trinidad they were — Victor Sylvester, 37 of St Ann’s Road, Carenage, and Saheed Ali, 30, of John Street, Cocorite.

From Antigua — Ramon Javis, 46, of Jolly Bay, Antigua; and from Venezuela — Edwin Javier Maraval Rodriguez, 33, of Carapano; Alonzo Valera, 35 of Valencia, Caesar Pereira, 35, of Guiria, Freddie Garcia, 34, of Caracas and Darwin Gonzalez, 24 of La Pastoria, Caracas. All eight defendants appeared before Lee Kim at the city’s Fourth Magistrates’ Court charged with possession of 1,735 kilos of cocaine for the purpose of trafficking. The illegal narcotic is valued at an estimated TT$700 million. The eight were arrested and charged after the drugs were seized by the police at Passy Bay, Monos Island, on August 23, 2005. They also face charges of possession of arms and ammunition.