Cassius Atkinson, a man accused of attempting to smuggle ganja out of the island was sentenced to three months in jail at hard labour when he appeared in the corporate Area resident Magistrate's Court on Tuesday.

Atkinson is charged with possession, dealing in and taking steps to export ganja.

The court was told that Atkinson, who is from Montego Bay, was on his way to St Martin when his luggage was searched and the ganja found in a pouch in his hand luggage.

Pleaded guilty

Atkinson pleaded guilty to the charges but told the court that he was not aware that the drugs were in the case. He said he was going to visit an uncle and collected the pouch from him. He added that because he was late, he did not get the chance to check the pouch, which he thought only contained CDs.

Set up

Senior Resident Magistrate Glen Brown then suggested to Atkinson that his uncle had set him up. He replied, "I don't believe that your honour. I don't expect dat from my uncle."

Atkinson was sentenced to $6,000 or six months for possession, admonished and discharged for dealing in drugs and $24,000 or six months for taking steps to export drugs. He was also sentenced to a compulsory three - month term.