News
Dames faces Cocaine Charges in January, given $3,000 bail
Wilkie Arthur
Freelance Court Reporter
#TurksandCaicos, December 5, 2023 – The amount was 24 grams of a white powdery substance allegedly found on Monday, November 13th, 2023, by the tactical unit of the Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police.
GENO DAMES, 47, pleaded not guilty to possession of controlled drugs, namely cocaine and not guilty to possession with intent to supply to another charge also linked to the suspected cocaine, in the Magistrate’s Court on Monday
Dames, a Bahamian citizen was granted $3,000.00 bail and instructed to return to Court for mention on January 8th 2024.
Side Bar: Magnetic Media can report that a number of the TCI Police and Prosecution drug cases are in jeopardy of being tossed out by the Courts; the reason cited is a lack of access to a drug testing lab.
In TCI drug cases, the confiscated supplies are tested in The Bahamas however, reports are the drug testing machines in The Bahamas have been down for months. Cases in The Bahamas are also suffering lags and with those matters in The Bahamas taking priority, the TCI has to wait and finds its drug trials are now steadily being delayed or dismissed, by the court for “want of prosecution.”
The predicament has not gone without comment by the learned Chief Magistrate and members of the Office of the DPP, who express concern about possible drug dealers escaping due process.