![Vibert Butts. [iNews' Photo]](https://i0.wp.com/www.inewsguyana.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/Vibert-Butts-.jpg)
He was also charged with having in his possession an illegal utensil for the purpose of smoking marijuana. He pleaded guilty to both offenses.
The court heard that on November 23, 2015 at Norton Street, Lodge, he had in his possession 46 grams of marijuana. According to the Prosecution, on the day in question, ranks from the Customs Anti Narcotics Unit (CANU), acted on information received and visited the home of Butts, where a search was conducted.
During the search, the ranks discovered the marijuana concealed in kitchen utensils. In his explanation to the court, Butts said that he uses the drugs for medicinal and cultural purposes.
Magistrate Azore, acknowledging the defendants’ guilty plea, the street value of the drugs and the penalty attached to such offenses fined Butts $69,000 and sentenced him to three years imprisonment.
Yes, GYD. Unfortunately he will not be able to go home.
Fully agree with Emile. This is absolute nonsense, both from the point of view of what is happening internationally and specifically in relation to the crime situation in Guyana
Is the 69000 guyanese dollars? If he pays it will he be able to go home? Any information would be thankful.
greetings i dont like wat i am seeing here ini need to rise up n deal with dis nonsense guyana law on ganja got to change n then u jailing a son of the soil who brought glory to his country fyah will have to bun plus good must conquer evil HAILE SELASSIE I SEE IT N KNOWS EVERYTHING selah ……..
Do you all know that that man was a national foot ball player.
I agree with your comments. I am still shocked to see that this man got sentenced to 3 years in jail for less than 2 ounces of weed. That is disgusting. I could see a fine but jail time that’s ridiculous.
I am in total agreement with Emile_Mervin. There needs to be a review of the law as it relates to the possession of cannabis.
Follow up to earlier post: 16 ounces make 1 pound. 46 grams of marijuana equate to 1.6 ounces. How can possession of 1.6 ounces equate to 3 years in prison? Based on this article, the CANU cops who busted this guy did not engage in a buy and bust to prove he was selling.
Compare the draconian judgment here for 1.6 ounces of marijuana to CJ Chang granting bail in June to Barry Dataram et al on drugs and weapons charges, forcing a senior CANU official to observe ‘you catch a big fish and they get bail’ (Demwaves, June 20, 2015).
That is in addition to another man getting bail on 178 kilogrammes of coke in March.
Emile I am not into drugs either but you know what I agree with you.
First, a disclaimer: I don’t use marijuana or do not encourage anyone to do so, because it does have chemical properties (THC) capable of altering the thought process and even physical actions and reactions, depending on amounts used and the user himself or herself. It is no worse than beer or rum or vodka or high wine. In fact, alcohol is more socially, financially and economically destructive than marijuana, yet alcohol is legal.
That said, time for Guyana to review its marijuana laws. Stop jailing people for small amounts of marijuana. This guy was not caught trafficking in public; the cops searched his home (search warrant used?) after receiving a tip off. How about three years mandatory community service, reporting each week to a monitoring official? What exactly will he be doing in jail for the next three years? How can the punishment here match his crime? It is asinine that jails are being filled with nonviolent criminals, while those who commit economic murder via corruption are free.
It also amazes me that marijuana is a plant created by God and used by men, yet men get jailed for using a God-made product.
America, which long led the global battle with charges for marijuana possession, sale and use, is finally realizing marijuana is not as dangerous as first previously thought, and is slowly changing its draconian laws.
Also, mostly American minorities have been targeted by the criminal justice system for marijuana charges, while it is known that wealthy whites who use much harder drugs in offices and upscale neighborhoods are untouchables.
In Guyana, Blacks, who practice rastafarianism, are often the target of marijuana charges, making them almost exclusively candidates for extended jail time for a non-violent crime.
Again, time to revisit the marijuana laws.