By Alexander Bruzual Thursday, December 24 2009

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LEAVING COURT: Prisons Officer Don Mascal appeared in court yesterday to answer a number of charges, including possession of marijuana....

After spending the past three days in police custody charged for drug trafficking, a 43-year-old prisons officer, who has 18 years service, has been granted bail in the sum of $120,000.

Don Mascal of Jattan Lane, El Socorro, appeared yesterday before Magistrate Melvin Daniel in the Port-of-Spain First Magistrates’ Court charged with trafficking 141.7 grammes of marijuana. The charge was made more serious as it occurred within 500 metres of a school, St Mary’s College.

It was alleged on December 19, Mascal was found with the drugs while parked outside of the Port-of-Spain Prison.

Officers from the Organised Crime, Narcotics and Firearms Interdiction Bureau, reacting to information received, conducted a search of the prisons officer’s vehicle. They discovered and seized the quantity of marijuana, as well as several “contraband” items.

The items included a bottle of alcohol, ten cigarette lighters; three cellphones; three cellphone chargers; nine packets of wrapping paper for the marijuana; seven packets of hemp; three cartons of Du Maurier (20 per pack); one carton of Du Maurier (10 per pack); and 21 packets of assorted cigarettes.

He was expected to be brought before a magistrate on Monday, however, since his arrest, Mascal fell sick and was forced to be taken to the Port-of-Spain General Hospital.

Mascal’s defence attorney Kenya Murray explained to the court the accused man had been experiencing a series of fits since being held, and despite his stay at the hospital, doctors have been unable to diagnose what was wrong. The attorney asked the magistrate to bear this in mind and to show leniency, especially as this was Mascal’s first offence.

After some deliberation Daniel granted Mascal bail with a surety to be approved by a Clerk of the Peace. The matter is scheduled to resume on January 5.