The five men who were occupants of a vessel which caused a fatal accident in the Berbice River were on Thursday remanded to prison after they pleaded not guilty to the possession of narcotics for the purpose of trafficking.
The men all from Berbice appeared at the New Amsterdam Magistrate Court where the charges were read via Skype by Magistrates Peter Hugh.
The men are Kevin Archer, 20, a labourer of Maria Emrita Village, Berbice River; Ramnarine Punwasie, 23, a labourer of Lot 12 Palmyra Village; Carl Williams, 51, a fisherman of Lot 6 Adelphi Settlement; Marvin Kissoon, 39, a fisherman of Lot 8 Sheet Anchor, and Netram Punwasie, 38, a carpenter/mason of Lot 12 Palmyra Village.
On Tuesday, April 28, at Edinburgh they had in their possession 36.97 kilograms cannabis for the purpose of trafficking.
It was reported that the five men left from Fort Canje on an expedition up the Berbice River on Tuesday morning with the aim of purchasing marijuana which is cultivated in that area. However, on their way, the boat in which they were travelling collided with another thus resulting in the death of four men.
The dead men were identified as 53-year-old Kidman Lindie of Sand Hills Berbice River; 23-year-old Romario Denheart a surveyor attached to the Public Infrastructure Ministry of 41 Stanleytown New Amsterdam; 53-year-old Freeman Denheart of Heathburn Village and 40-year-old Julian Mc Kenzie of Sand Hills.
Their bodies were pulled from the Berbice River on Wednesday.
The five men are expected to make another court appearance on May 7.
