Christopher Thomas, STAR Writer

A bus driver accused of trying to smuggle 26 pounds of ganja on a flight to England was offered bail in the Montego Bay Resident Magistrate's Court yesterday.

Richard Sinclair, 43, of Lititz district, St Elizabeth and London, England, is charged with possession of, dealing in and taking steps to export ganja.

His lawyer, Petrona Wallock, told Resident Magistrate (RM) Sandra Wong-Small that her client had assumed the container in which the weed was allegedly found contain a cake which he was expected to carry overseas.

However, the prosecution refuted that claim informing the RM that the ganja was found in a brown envelope.

Wallock also said that Sinclair had no previous convictions, and already surrendered his travel documents to the police, and could find suitable sureties if offered bail.

Wong-Small offered Sinclair $250,000 bail with surety. He is to reside with his relatives in Lititz district and report to the Junction Police Station every Monday, Wednesday and Friday between 7 a.m. and 6 p.m.

stop-order

He was also ordered to submit his fingerprints to the police, and a stop-order will be placed at all ports of entry. The matter will be mentioned again on April 30.

Allegations are that on February 14, Sinclair attempted to board a flight to Gatwick, London, at the Sangster International Airport in Montego Bay. A grey suitcase in his possession was searched and a rectangular package wrapped in brown masking tape was found inside.

The package was allegedly found to contain vegetable matter resembling ganja, wrapped in a transparent plastic bag and blue carbon paper. Under caution, Sinclair reportedly said, "Someone asked me to pick up a cake at the lounge," following which he was arrested and charged.