Alric Lindsay 
By Alric Lindsay
A man who works handling cash at a bank has admitted drug charges and, while producing clean results on a court-supervised testing regime, has been allowed to attend his drug tests during his lunch break so that he need not keep using his annual leave.
The man appeared in the Summary Court today, August 18, 2026, before the Chief Magistrate. His counsel explained that he had been testing every second Friday and complying, producing negative results, and that he was before the court for a check-in.
After hearing from defence counsel, the Chief Magistrate put three charges to the man, all arising on or before January 3, 2026. The first was possession of a controlled drug, namely Ganja (2.65 grams), contrary to Section 3(1)(K) of the Misuse of Drugs Law; the second, consumption of Ganja, contrary to Section 3(1)(L); and the third, possession of utensils used in the preparation or consumption of a controlled drug — namely three grinders. The man pled guilty to each.
The court heard that the man was subject to a three-month period of drug testing, but that he had used all of his annual leave attending court and testing. Through his counsel, he explained that he works at a bank and the treasury and must be at work first thing in the morning because he hands out the cash, and that the arrangement had become difficult. Asked whether he could attend earlier in the day, and told that the testing marshals begin at 9:00am, the Chief Magistrate agreed that he could instead attend during his lunch break, provided he did so before noon.
The man is to continue testing every other Friday in the meantime. Sentencing was fixed for October 28.
