Bring the rest of the fine or face prison.
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That was the warning issued to Philip Malachi Harris when he reappeared in the No. 4 Supreme Court on Friday.
Harris, of Bartlett’s Tenantry Road, Sargeant’s Village, Christ Church, had pleaded guilty, at an earlier Session of the Continuous Sittings, to having a firearm and ten rounds of ammunition on January 12, 2023.
He was represented by attorney Safiya Moore, while Senior State Counsel Maya Kellman and Senior State Counsel Paul Prescod prosecuted the matter.
In February, Justice Laurie-Ann Smith-Bovell fined Harris $25 000 for the gun and ordered him to pay $10 000 of it immediately. He had to pay the remaining $15 000 by October 30, or spend five years, 268 days in jail.
The judge also fined Harris $7 500 for the ammunition, of which $4 000 was forthwith, with the remainder also due by October 30, with an alternative of two years, 147 days in jail.
On Friday, Moore, who requested an extension on Harris’ behalf, said the self-confessed gunman had been steadily paying the money.
“On each occasion he has been paying thousands of dollars. We’re asking for a reasonable extension. He understands what looms if he doesn’t pay,” the attorney said, adding the outstanding balance was $6 000.
Justice Smith-Bovell then told Harris the extension was his “one and only extension”.
“You have until January 29. If you don’t come with the money, you are going to prison,” she said.
The court had heard police went to Collymore Rock, St Michael, after receiving information, saw a vehicle and signalled for the driver to stop.
Harris was in the left back seat and police saw when he opened the door and tossed something pink outside.
They held him and retrieved the object which turned out to be a gun with an extended magazine wrapped in a pink T-shirt.
When asked to account for it, he told them: “I find it the day before I get hold.”
However, when Harris was interviewed by the probation officer, he indicated the reason for having the firearm was for his protection as two of his family members had been murdered. (HLE)