The Tribune

By PAVEL BAILEY

Tribune Staff Reporter

pbailey@tribunemedia.net

THE Court of Appeal upheld a man’s two-and-a-half-year prison sentence after he was convicted while being a passenger in a car that had $340,000 worth of marijuana in North Bimini in 2017.

Justice Bernard Turner dismissed Ivan David’s appeal of his conviction for possession of dangerous drugs with intent to supply.

Police saw David and his co-accused, Antwon Dames, leaving the Admiral Hotel in North Bimini on September 20, 2017. They were in a green Toyota 4 Runner SUV when they were stopped on a dirt road. When police asked David, the front seat passenger, if there was anything illegal in the car, he said: “Yes, sir, some weed”.

Police seized nine nylon crocus sacks from the backseat and hatch area containing 340 lbs of marijuana.

During his trial before Magistrate Samuel McKinney, David maintained that he did not know about the drugs. However, it was said he kept shifting his story as proceedings continued.

Both Dames and David were found guilty of the offence on May 26. As part of his conviction, David was sentenced to two and a half years in prison. He faced an additional $10,000 fine and would risk an additional six-month prison term if he fails to pay.

Justice Turner agreed with the magistrate that the appellant had knowledge of the drugs in the car due to their quantity and proximity to him. 

Justice Turner also found that the sentence was not unduly harsh. He said it was lenient, given the circumstances.