PHILIPBURG–A Judge in the Court of First Instance on Thursday acquitted a 38-year-old resident from Over the Bank, who was found with a large bag with marijuana in his car on September 21.
The man was pulled over by the police because of his suspicious behaviour, the police report stated. The officers in charge noticed a very strong smell of marijuana in the car, the police report stated. A search led to the discovery of a large transparent bag containing 250 grammes of marijuana. The bag was hidden under the spare tire in the trunk of the car. Also, a small quantity of marijuana was found in a plastic bag in the pocket of a pair of jeans on the backseat of the car.
The man was brought to the police station, where he was held for five days. He was summoned to appear in Court on Thursday. During the hearing suspect T.D.J.H. denied all wrongdoing. He said he did not smoke as he is suffering of asthma.
The Prosecutor considered the case proven and called upon the Court to sentence the defendant to 100 hours of community service.
Attorney Remco Stomp pointed out to the Court that although there were detailed pictures of what appeared to be a big package of pressed marijuana plants, it could not, with certainty, be established that it indeed concerned a large quantity of the illegal substance.
The lawyer said there was no report from an independent source to confirm that the material indeed was marijuana, as was claimed. The strong smell of marijuana was not real proof either, Stomp stated.
This led Stomp to demand his client’s immediate acquittal for “the sheer lack” of evidence. The Judge agreed with the legal counsel that there was insufficient proof that the bag had actually contained marijuana. “It could also have been mushrooms or a mixture of herbs,” the Judge said. The Prosecutor said he would not file for appeal.
Source: The Daily Herald https://www.thedailyherald.sx/islands/91817-judge-acquits-suspect-found-with-250-grammes-marijuana
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