Two Caymanians & Two Jamaicans Appeared In Court Today For Alleged Illicit Trafficking Of 560 Pounds Of Ganja On The High Seas

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By Alric Lindsay

Kimani Bonnick, Barry McCarthy, Leon Harvey and Corey Brown appeared in Summary Court today to hear charges concerning the alleged illicit trafficking of drugs from Jamaica to Grand Cayman. The Jamaican Defence Force Coast Guard and the Cayman Islands Coast Guard reportedly intercepted the vessel the men were on. Two of the men are Caymanian, and two are Jamaican.

Laying out the charges against the first three men, Magistrate Gunn explained:

You are all charged with illicit trafficking.

The particulars being that you, together with Corey Brown, on the 20 September 2024, on a ship not registered in any country or territory located about 55 nautical miles east southeast of grand Cayman in the Cayman Islands, had in your possession controlled drugs, namely 560 pounds of ganja, knowing or having reasonable grounds for suspecting that the drug was intended to be imported into the Cayman Islands.

Magistrate Gunn remanded the first three men into custody to return to Court on October 8 2024, at 10:00 a.m.

Before dismissing the initial three men, one requested permission to call his sister in Jamaica. He explained that his “mother has cancer”, and he needed to inform his sister where to find some money that he had set aside for his mother.

After hearing the request, Magistrate Gunn informed the man that his lawyer, Mr Jonathon Hughes, would “speak to the police about getting that phone call arranged.”

Jonathon Hughes

Subsequently, Magistrate Gunn heard from Corey Brown, who was applying for bail for “pressing reasons” related to the care of a family member.

The Crown opposed bail because Brown reportedly has a previous conviction from August 2019 for the importation of ganja in similar circumstances, where he was seen on a boat. Due to this, the Crown emphasized that Brown is “likely to re-offend if admitted to bail” and “poses a flight risk.”

After hearing from both sides, Magistrate Gunn noted that “there is a significant risk” of Brown “committing further offences” and “if convicted, [Brown would face] a significantly longer commitment sentence.”

She concluded that she could not find any “bail conditions which can adequately [address] these risks that he poses and therefore bail is refused.”

Brown is expected to return to court on October 8, 2024, with Kimani Bonnick, Barry McCarthy and Leon Harvey.