$6K fine for 3 marijuana plants

Senior Magistrate Tamia Richards has fined Jamari Lucien $6,000 for cultivation of three marijuana plants.

After being fined, Lucien asked the court if he could pay $500 per month.

But Magistrate Richards noted that, if he pays that sum at the requested rate, he would be finished in a year.

She said that would be too long a wait for Government to ‘get their money’.

The senior magistrate did not give Lucien a definite date to complete payment, but she ordered him to report back to the court on March 24.

She further told Lucien that she will finalise a payment completion date during his next court appearance.

The magistrate also told him to pay as much as he can before he returns to court.

In the meantime, Lucien was charged with the marijuana offence after police raided his Havers Estate residence on April 16 last year, and discovered two buckets containing the marijuana plants.

When cautioned about the find, Lucien said: “Officer, this is mines. I use it to make tea for my back pain.”

He pleaded guilty to the offence during a previous court appearance in November last year.