Concealed ganja lands traveller in trouble

Senior Parish Judge Lori-Anne Cole-Montaque on Tuesday chided 43-year-old Shoshana Francis, who was caught trying to smuggle of ganja out of the island in January, before sentencing her in the Kingston and St Andrew Parish Court.

"I remember you, and I remember saying how foolish you were to have done that," the judge remarked. "You have the ganja all over your body, in your tights, in your thighs." Francis had previously pleaded guilty to possession of, dealing in, conspiracy to export, and taking steps preparatory to exporting ganja in the same parish court. The court was told that Francis went to the Norman Manley International Airport, in Kingston, with intentions of boarding a flight. However, security personnel became suspicious of Francis, who was in a wheelchair. A search of her person was conducted, and it was discovered that she was wearing a pair of tights under her clothing. Parcels of ganja were found sewn into the tights. The total amount found was 10 pounds and 8.4 ounces.

In her first court appearance when she pleaded guilty, Francis told the court she acted out of desperation as she was facing hard times.

"There is no justification for my actions, but I can't get no work, Your Honour," she said. Francis further told the court that she really wanted to put herself in a position to provide for her family, but all her efforts to secure employment had failed.

Francis was fined $15,000 or six-months imprisonment for possession of ganja, and $120,000 or 12-months imprisonment for taking steps preparatory to export ganja. She received two years probation for conspiracy to export ganja, and was admonished and discharged on the count of dealing in ganja.

T.T.