His attorney believes that Colis Arlington Paul should not get another day in prison after being on remand for more than five years.
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However, the prosecution says the starting sentences for the Guyanese, who attempted to smuggle cannabis and cocaine into Barbados, should be four years and three years, respectively.
Paul, who has no fixed place of abode in Barbados but is from Georgetown, Guyana, will find out the sentence of the No. 5 Supreme Court on June 30.
He had pleaded guilty to the charges that, within Barbados’ territorial waters, he had 1.29 kilogrammes of cannabis in his possession, that he had a traffickable quantity of the drug and that he imported it on March 28, 2021.
Hefty penalties
Paul also pleaded guilty to possession, trafficking and importing 607.81 grammes of cocaine while in Barbados’ territorial waters on the same date.
He had nothing to say in his defence. State Counsel Maya Kellman, who prosecuted, said the underlying message of the sentences, outlined in the legislation, was that “drug offences are very serious given the very hefty penalties associated with them”.
She pointed to the prevalence of such offences in society, the quantity of the drugs and their street value.
She also urged the court to note that Paul had said he was solely responsible for them.
However, the prosecutor noted a mitigating feature of the offence was that the drugs were intercepted.
Kellman continued that an aggravating feature associated with the offender was that he admitted he got the drugs from “a marijuana farm”.
Deductions
However, she said a mitigating factor was that Paul had confessed to the offence from his time in police custody.
She suggested that four years be the starting sentence for the cannabis offences, and three years for the cocaine offences with the relevant deductions.
Attorney Samuel Legay, who represented Paul, advised the court to consider the delay in the matter, as well as Paul’s early guilty plea.
“This court should impose a sentence that would not cause [him] to be back where he is now,” he said.
Justice Pamela Beckles will deliver her sentence on June 30.
The court had heard that Paul and another man were intercepted at sea on a boat carrying 22 bags, containing 343 packages of cannabis and cocaine.
When interviewed, Paul admitted the packages belonged to him. He declined to dictate a statement but told police: “My purpose was to deliver to a friend in Trinidad.” (HLE)