Cannabis trial opens in Barbados: 121 kg found at sea, St Philip man denies charges

Walter O'neal Prescod of St Philip faces charges of possession, importation and trafficking of 121.4 kg of cannabis allegedly seized at sea in 2018.

St Philip man faces cannabis charges as Supreme Court trial gets under way

Barbados Today reports that the trial of Walter O'neal Prescod, of Emerald Park East, St Philip, has opened in the No. 4 Supreme Court. Prescod denies three charges connected to 121.4 kilogrammes of cannabis said to have been found within Barbadian territorial waters on July 23, 2018 — specifically, possession of the substance, importation, and having a traffickable quantity.

The first witness called for the prosecution was Marsha Skeete, Director of the Forensic Science Centre. Skeete told the court that on July 30, 2018 — seven days after the alleged offence — she received a sealed evidence bag from a police officer. Inside were six transparent, resealable plastic bags containing vegetable matter submitted for analysis. The material, she said, consisted of seeds, crushed leaves, and stalks belonging to plants of the genus Cannabis.

Justice of the Peace Gary Alleyne also gave evidence. Alleyne told the court that on July 26, 2018, he was present at Oistins Police Station, where he spoke with a police officer regarding the accused. Prescod was there at the time, accompanied by his attorney, Andrew Pilgrim. Alleyne testified that he watched a police officer photograph 40 packages, each containing vegetable matter suspected to be cannabis.

A police photographer additionally submitted to the court an album of more than 50 photographs taken at the station, forming part of the evidence against Prescod.

The case is being prosecuted by Acting Director of Public Prosecutions Alliston Seale SC and Acting Senior State Counsel Paul Prescod. Defence counsel Sade Harris and Elan Greenidge represent the accused.

The nine-member jury — five women and four men — is hearing the evidence before Justice Laurie-Ann Smith-Bovell.

Source: Barbados Today