Five men charged in massive cocaine bust get October date

An attempt by defence lawyers to have five men - implicated in an almost $12-billion cocaine bust in Havendale, St Andrew - brought back before the court next month for a bail application, was shut down by parish judge Maxine Ellis yesterday. Instead, an October 9 date has been set.

The judge was of the view that the timeline is determined by the circumstances rather than the men’s desire for bail, and in this instance, she said an October date would be more reasonable. This as the time is needed for the laboratory to complete testing of the cocaine and for the forensic report to be completed. So far ,a third of the drugs have been examined.

Attorney-at-law Donahue Martin had proposed the September date, noting that the men were anxious for their liberty. However, the judge indicated that there was a process that must take place.

“This matter is going into October, and for things to move along at a pace. It is what it is. The police did not determine how much cocaine they were going to seize. It is a fact that they seized a certain amount, [so] the process is the process,” Ellis said.

However, Martin insisted that the date was for the accused to convince the tribunal in relation to their status.

But the judge said, “They can’t convince me in relation to their status when I don’t even know what you are convincing me about and neither do you.”

The Kingston residents, Clive Davis, 57; Junior Haldane, 72; George Sterling; Collin Ricketts, 58; and 42-year-old Clayton Peart were charged last Friday with possession of cocaine, dealing in cocaine, trafficking cocaine, and conspiracy.

The accused were arrested on August 6 when officers from the Firearms and Narcotics Investigation Division, accompanied by units from the Counter-Terrorism and Organised Crime Investigation Branch, raided the premises and seized several knitted bags of cocaine.

Approximately 2,600 kilograms or 5,569 pounds of cocaine, with a street value of US$75.79 million, were allegedly found at the house during a three-hour operation.

The clerk of court, in outlining the allegation, said the police went to the location after receiving information and that the men were reportedly in the process of loading a bus with the bags of cocaine.

He said three of the men were seen at the back of the bus and that one of them was found hiding behind the premises while others were found hiding in a room.

Haldane and Sterling were seen reportedly behind the bus and were accosted after they ran. Davis, who was initially seen behind the bus, was also held in front of the bus, the court heard.

Medical treatment

In the meantime, Ellis ordered that all the accused men be taken to see the doctor “as soon as possible” after a lawyer for the accused made the request.

Attorney-at-law Lloyd McFarlane, while highlighting that his client, Haldane, is a septuagenarian, expressed concerns about his health.

Further, he said, “All that the police has on Mr Haldane is that he was found behind one of the bags of cocaine.”

He argued that his client was being held on hearsay evidence.

However, the judge did not agree that it was hearsay evidence.

McFarlane added that the case against his client was more sensational than probative while requesting an early date for bail application.

Similarly, lawyers for the other accused, with the exception of Peart, also requested medical treatment for their clients.

Peart, the youngest of the group, indicated that he did not need to see the doctor, but the judge insisted that all of them must be examined.

“I am not leaving any stone unturned in the event that they not feeling so well,” she said.

“So when the police are taking them, make sure you take their medical journal. It will not fly if you come back and tell me that they saw the doctor. The judge wants to know while they are in the custody of the police what is the situation with them,” Ellis stressed, noting that the journal is to be brought to court with the findings and treatment on the next court date.

Additionally, the prosecutor indicated that she wished to seek guidance on the jurisdiction for and whether the matter should be committed to the Home Circuit Court.

The men are to return to court on October 9.

The case was rescheduled for mention to facilitate the completion of the testing of the substance and the submission of the forensic report.

Attorney-at-law Ludlow Black is representing Sterling and attorneys-at-law Kayon Atkinson and Tamika Dunbar are appearing for Peart, and King’s Counsel Tom Tavares-Finson is defending Davis.

tanesha.mundle@gleanerjm.com