Woman smuggles ganja to pay bills

A woman who admitted to smuggling ganja because she was trying to clear off her exorbitant bills was ordered to spend one year in prison when she appeared in the Corporate Area Resident Magistrate's Court on Monday.

Simonese Whyte pleaded guilty to possession of, dealing in, and taking steps to export ganja.

The court heard that Whyte was caught attempting to leave one of the island's airports with one pound, five ounces of ganja.

"Is there any reason I should not send you to prison?" Senior Resident Magistrate Judith Pusey asked the accused.

Whyte responded by saying, "I have a water bill of $180,000 weighing over my head. I'm trying to pay off land tax and school fee. I'm in a lot of debt."

NO EXCUSE

Pusey advised the accused that life is challenging, so she should not use that as excuse. "As you born you know that life is hard, because as you born them [doctors] hit you. This is a crime of greed," Pusey said before handing down her sentence.

Whyte was ordered to pay $5,250 or serve six months for possession of the substance, $21,000 or serve six months for dealing the substance, and 12 months for attempting to export.