Pay or Prison -Mother, daughter fined for marijuana

Mother-daughter duo Cecilia and Niecia Callwood has been fined a combined total of $2,500 in the Magistrate’s Court.

Magistrate Ayanna Baptiste-DaBreo fined the women last Friday for possession of a controlled drug.

Cecilia, who police claimed was found with 8.5 grams of marijuana, was fined $500 for the offence.

The 56-year-old has until July 28 to pay the sum or she will serve two months in prison.

The prosecution, on the other hand, claimed that the daughter, Niecia, was found with some 34 grams of marijuana in her possession.

Magistrate Baptiste-DaBreo fined her $2,000, which is to be paid by October 30. If the fine is not paid, Niecia will serve four months at Her Majesty’s Prison.

Both women pleaded guilty to the offence. However, the offenders said they disagreed with the respective quantities of marijuana police reported to have found.

How the marijuana was found

The prosecution stated that, on April 6 last year, police executed a search warranted at the women’s White Bay residence on the island of Jost Van Dyke.

During a search of Cecilia’s room, police reportedly found various amounts of marijuana. They also found marijuana seeds, and a cigarette with marijuana inside, the court heard.

When cautioned in relation to the find, Cecilia reportedly told the cops: “Dem are mines; it’s marijuana.”

The court heard that the search continued into Niecia’s bedroom, where police found a quantity of marijuana as well as brown bags containing marijuana seeds.

“Everything you find in here is mine,” Niecia reportedly told the law enforcers.

Further reports are that the search extended to the dining room where police found a purse with more of the illegal substance inside.

“It’s weed,” Niecia reportedly admitted. “I was looking for that purse for a while now.”