As we told you last night, 2 men have been charged in relation to the suspected heroin case. On Monday police found 11 kilos of what appears to be heroin on the floor of a vehicle they intercepted at the Bel China Bridge. As a result, Giovannie Requena and Richard Macdonald were both charged with drug trafficking. Well, after their arraignment today, MacDonald's attorney Herbert Panton told us that the case against his client is ridiculous because Macdonald wasn't even at the Bel China Bridge when the drugs were found. Panton told us there are many discrepancies in the police report and that after the case is concluded they will sue the police.
Courtney Weatherburne
"Your client has been accused of trafficking heroin. Tell us how the case is going so far?"
Herbert Panton, Attorney for Richard MacDonald
"Well it's an offence that the magistrate at the level of the magistrate's court cannot offer bail. So my client is remanded. What is really unfortunate about that is that there is absolutely no evidence and I am sure you've heard this from every defense attorney out there, but the circumstances are ridiculous. The police by their own actions put out in the media on Channel 7 and on Channel 5 that a vehicle was intercepted on BelChina Bridge. My client was detained at Riverside Tavern. Now under God's good sun, could my client picking up food at Riverside Tavern have anything to do with drugs found on BelChina Bridge. Furthermore, the police also detained a Chinese national who has a similar case for drug trafficking in Corozal that is still pending. That Chinese national was interviewed and released. My client now has to go through the indignity of having his name drag through the media, being deprived of time with his family and children, obvious losses to his business and the police goes about their merry-way. But I will put them on notice, when this case is concluded, they are going to be facing one hell of a large lawsuit on their hands. Because it is injustice at the highest level and injustice of the eight degree. Why is it that my client is purported to have supplied this drugs to a third party? Why is not that third party not before the court? Why is that? It is ridiculous. But we shall see how the case proceed."
Courtney Weatherburne
"So you are saying that there are major inconsistencies with the case so far?"
Herbert Panton, Attorney for Richard MacDonald
"Tremendous inconsistencies."
Courtney Weatherburne
"Sir, it still has not been confirmed that the drugs are heroin. How does this affects the case?"
Herbert Panton, Attorney for Richard MacDonald
"That is the other point. Yes, they have to take samples to the lab, but there is a simple test. A little color change test that could substantiate whether or not. It would seem, because they themselves admitted that they don't know what is in there. So it would seem that they are dragging my client to court for 11 package of brown sand."
They pled not guilty to the charges.
Macdonald AND REQUENA were remanded until in March second.
Panton told us he will file an emergency application for Supreme Court bail. Even if Requena was granted bail he would have to apy an outstanding fine of $10,000 for a conviction of drug trafficking. The sentence in default of payment of the fine is 3 years.
Mcdonald, a tour operator and Requena, a fisherman, were also charged with supplying 5 grams of heroin to Ervin Pech. Mcdonald was represented by attorney Herbert Panton.
As Panton mentioned, there is another suspect in the mix - and we know he is a businessman from the mile 8 area - who was charged for heroin possession in June. This businessman was also briefly detained in this case, but never charged. We understand he was also at the River Tavern before the bust.
Forensic tests have not yet confirmed it is heroin but because of it is a brown powdery substance, they say they are almost certain of their find.
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