Rasta asserts right to have ganja

Charles 'Ras Negus' Largie, a Rastafarian whose arrest for possessing two pounds of ganja led to a silent protest by other Rastafarians outside the St James Parish Court last month, will know on May 11 whether his case will continue or be dismissed.

Largie, who is charged with possession of and dealing in ganja, had his bail extended when he appeared before Parish Judge Sasha-Marie Ashley last Friday.

The weed was reportedly found in his shop on December 22 last year. His attorney, Chumu Parris, made a no-case submission when the matter was last called up. During the submission, which followed previous testimony from the prosecution's police witness on April 26, Parris pointed to Largie's right to freedom of religion as the reason why he had the ganja at the time of his arrest.

"The Constitution does acknowledge freedom of religion, and one has an obligation to invoke that right. When you look at the legislation, there are no qualifying clauses as to how one is to adhere to the faith," Parris argued.

"The Crown's main witness led evidence saying, 'I observed that the shop was coloured in Rastafarian colours.' What is there for the court to say that what he[(Largie) did is not consistent with Rastafarianism?"

However, the prosecution contended that it is Largie's responsibility to prove that the circumstances under which he had the ganja was in line with his religious beliefs, and that he has a case to answer.

Judge Ashley subsequently set the matter for continuation on May 11.

Largie's arrest and charge prompted protest action from members of the Rastafarian community, who condemned his arrest as a violation of Rastafarians' right to freely use ganja as part of their sacraments, in keeping with previous talks with the Government about the 2015 amendment of the Dangerous Drugs Act.