SACHA WALTERS, Staff Reporter
A COCAINE USER denied he was a dealer as was being suggested by the prosecution when he appeared in the Corporate Area Resident Magistrate's Court recently.
Raheem Nesbeth, from Swallowfield Road in Kingston 5, was seen on April 3 by police officers in the Matilda's Corner area acting suspiciously. He was stopped and searched and a plastic bag with cocaine was found on his person.
He was taken to the Matilda's Corner Police Station where he was arrested and charged for possession and dealing in cocaine.
The police stated in court that he was found with 23 pieces.
"No your honour it was one piece and it's not dealing your honour it is for my own use," said Nesbeth in court on April 6. He said that he was guilty for possession of cocaine but not trafficking.
"Are you a coke user?" asked Resident Magistrate Martin Gayle.
"Yes sir," Nesbeth said.
Resident Magistrate Martin Gayle said that based on his years of experience with the drug court, Nesbeth showed none of the signs of a cocaine user but he would accept his statement that it was one piece.
He was sentenced to pay a fine of $60,000 or six months for possession and six months' imprisonment hard labour suspended for two years.
"If you're a dealer we'll know," said Resident Magistrate Gayle.
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