7 News Belize

GSU Bust Ras Ruben On A Plantation
posted (September 25, 2017)
He's a devout rastafarian, a staunch advocate for the legal use of marijuana, and a well known chef who owns the Vegan Bites food business. But, the GSU caught 41-year-old Cameron Kelvin Usher, known as "Ras Ruben" at a marijuana plantation in rural Belize yesterday - and have charged him for Cultivation of Cannabis Plant.

Yesterday at 11:20 am, the GSU descended on the plantation in Lucky Strike Village where they allegedly found Ras Ruben in the middle of a spread with 150 marijuana plants between three and four feet high. Police destroyed all the plants along and some farming equipment.

Ruben was arrested and charged with Cultivation of Cannabis Plant. He appeared in court today where he was charged for cultivation of 121 plants, not 150. He pleaded not guilty and was offered bail of $10,000 dollars which he met. His case was adjourned until December 29.

Now, as a Rastafarian, Ruben is a defender of what those of his belief call a sacrament. They believe that criminally charging Rastafarians for criminal use of marijuana is a kind of religious persecution. Here's how he put it in 2012:...

FILE: July 20, 2012
Ras Ruben - Rastafarian
"For me to be criminalize because of my sacrament is unjust, so I feel like it is about high time that we take steps towards decriminalization."

"How long have we been on earth as human beings? How long as it been illegal for human beings? If you look at the statistics it's less than 60 years that they are criminally persecute us. So the people need to understand the whole schematics behind it and understand the holistic..."

Jules Vasquez
"Do you think people have been smoking herb from the beginning of time?"

Ras Ruben
"From the first man came on earth we are giving sacrifice with herb. Herb is a part of our ritual as human beings."

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