Mikhail Johnson, a 22-year-old un-employed resident of Palmers Cross, Clarendon, appeared in the Corporate Area Resident Magistrate’s Court yesterday, where he faced charges of possession of ganja, dealing in ganja, taking step to export ganja and conspiracy to export ganja. He was accused of attempting to smuggle 7 1/2 pounds of marijuana (ganja) to St. Maarten. It is alleged that he was arrested at the Norman Manley International Airport in Kingston on September 4, after the drug was found hidden in a false compartment in his suitcase.
Johnson pleaded not guilty to the charges, and was offered bail in the sum of $200,000. However, Resident Magistrate Georgianna Fraser warned him sternly, that bail would be revoked and he would be taken back into custody if he did not enroll himself at a learning institution and start attending classes. According to the magistrate, Johnson found himself in the situation because he was idle, and he needs to find something (such as school) to occupy his time.
Johnson is scheduled to return to court on November 1, 2010.
A gunman who had not reportedly seen his father in almost 10 years, was recently reunited with his Dad under the most unusual circumstances. The gunman and two cronies reportedly broke into a house in Clarendon and attempted to rob its owner. The mission was reportedly aborted however, when the gunman realized that the victim was his own father whom he had lost contact with for almost 10 years.
Unconfirmed reports indicate that the son has now changed his ways and is now living with and working for his father.
Two women, who were entangled in a bloody brawl over a man that they both claimed to be their sweetheart, and who bit each other severely during the fight, were chased out of the Old Harbour Resident Magistrate’s court recently by St. Catherine Resident Magistrate, Simone Wolfe-Reece.
The two, Marlene Whittingham (41 year old, unemployed of Vere, Clarendon) and Claudette Bennett (46 year old secretary of Longville Park, Clarendon) ended up in court on charges of assault occasioning bodily harm to each other. Whittingham pleaded not guilty to biting Bennett on the hand, back and face and causing her bodily harm. However, after both women gave evidence, R.M. Wolfe-Reece admonished them for fighting over the man, and told them to get out of her sight. The women reportedly hung their heads and shame-facedly crept out of the court room.
Whittingham is to return to court on January 8, to face a charge of unlawfully wounding Bennett, during a fight over the same man in July, 2008.
A hostile family dispute, allegedly over a goat, at Green Bottom District in Clarendon, has reportedly left one family member dead, and another facing a possible murder charge. The incident reportedly took place on Tuesday (July 28) night.
Dead is 35 year old Newton Brown, who was chopped on the left side of his waist and on his hand with a machete. According to police reports, at approximately 9 p.m. on Tuesday night, Brown and a sister had a dispute over a goat. The argument became hostile and Brown’s brother accompanied by other family members joined in the fracas.
Allegations are that an angry family member who had joined the brawl, grabbed a machete, approached Brown aggressively and chopped him. He was rushed to the May Pen hospital where he died while undergoing treatment. The May Pen police are investigating the matter, and have arrested the accused family member – whose name has been withheld for now.
