Mother gets a year in prison for ganja

A mother of two was sentenced to one year imprisonment on Monday when she appeared in the Corporate Area Resident Magistrate's Court for ganja-related offences, after she attempted to leave Jamaica with the drug strapped to her body.

Charged with possession of, dealing in, taking steps to export and conspiracy to export ganja is Kayon Foster.

She pleaded guilty to all counts except conspiracy and the court offered no evidence in that regard.

She was held with three pounds of ganja.

Foster was fined $12,350 or six months for possession, $25,500 or six months for dealing and $51,000 or six months, plus 12 months for taking steps to export ganja from Jamaica.

The sentences are to run concurrently.

Before the judgment was handed down, Senior Resident Magistrate Judith Pusey asked Foster why shouldn't she go to jail for the offence.

She said, "I have a daughter and a son ... I'm the mother and father for them."

RM Pusey, however, stated, "I'm not heartless when I don't take your reason, but you should have thought of them when you were strapping up. It funny how you remember them now."