A man who told the court that he only had ganja in his possession because he wanted to use it to help his niece who had asthma, was fined $1,000 in the Corporate Area Resident Magistrate's Court yesterday. The accused man, Clifton Marshall, was also fined $100 for possession of an offensive weapon.

Allegations in the matter are that Marshall was recently accosted by the police who requested a search of a bag he was carrying. The court was told that during the search, the lawmen found one ounce of the drug inside the bag.

Marshall, who pleaded guilty, explained to the court that he while the weed was for his niece, the knife was a tool he used to strip the vegetables he sold. He was fined for both offences nonetheless.