Woman Pleads Not Guilty To Drug Charge
After pleading guilty and hearing the Police evidence against her, and being warned by the Senior Magistrate that a conviction could carry a prison sentence, 37-year-old Tekania Swan asked to be allowed to change her plea from guilty to not guilty in Magistrates Court this morning.
Noting that Ms Swan was not represented by a lawyer and was receiving assistance from the Duty Counsel, the Senior Magistrate acceded to her request.
Ms Swan had originally pleaded guilty to possessing cannabis in the increased penalty zone of Westgate Correctional Facility; and of conveying an illegal substance into Westgate. Both acts alleged to have occurred in March of this year.
Police evidence read out to the Magistrate by Prosecutor Loxly Rickett was that a sniffer dog had detected the cannabis which was then found inside the knee high boot that Ms Swan was wearing that day. The drug was found, and originally Ms Swan did not deny this, inside a plastic bag which, in turn, was inside white paper wrapping.
Speaking to the Magistrate before she recanted and was allowed to change her plea, Ms Swan offered: “I forgot I had it on me.”
Pointing out that smuggling drugs into the prison was a serious offence that could attract a jail sentence, the Senior Magistrate asked Ms Swan if she was sure that she wanted to continue without having taken full legal advice. After a short discussion with the Duty Counsel, Ms Swan asked the Magistrate if she could have the charges put to her again.
The Senior Magistrate agreed, the charges were re-read, Ms Swan pleaded not guilty to both, the Magistrate set trial for October, and granted Ms Swan $5,000 bail with one Surety.
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Ignorance of the law is not an excuse!