Walter Prescod, who denies charges involving 121.4 kilogrammes of cannabis, told the No. 4 Supreme Court on Thursday that the discovery of drugs aboard the yacht on which he worked came as a surprise.
The 63-year-old, of Emerald Park East, St Philip, has denied possessing the cannabis within Barbados’ territorial waters, importing it and having a traffickable quantity of the illegal substance on July 23, 2018.
After Acting Director of Public Prosecutions Alliston Seale SC closed the State’s case, Prescod opted to make an unsworn statement from the dock.
Testifying before Justice Laurie-Ann Smith-Bovell and a nine-member jury, Prescod, a sailor about the yacht Ecstasy said he sailed from Barbados to Grenada for ship repairs. The boat remained at the dock for six weeks. After the repairs, he left Grenada and returned to Barbados.
Prescod said: “After about six or eight days home in Barbados, me and Mr Rogers returned to Grenada to bring the boat up. Mr Herbert joined us and three of us came up together. As soon as we got here, Mr Rogers and Mr Herbert left and went home. The yacht was approached by the Coast Guard vessel with three men on board…
“I called Mr Rogers and told him what was going on before they came aboard. My personal belongings were searched. Everything was searched. They found nothing illegal. Then they searched the boat in front of Mr Rogers and he said they found illegal substances and they were asked if they knew anything about them and Mr Rogers said ‘No’. Then I was asked and I said ‘No’. Which I didn’t. It was a surprise to me.”
Prescod recalled being taken to Oistins Police Station and his cell phone being taken from him.
He continued: “Before we were charged, we were placed in a cell close together. While there, before we were charged Mr Rogers, in the presence of Mr Herbert, quickly offered me to take the rap, so he could get home. I ask him ‘Why?’ He said something to the effect that he would stupidly give me back my job. Those were the words he said. So I paused for a little while before answering and I said ‘okay’. I say to myself that it would give me some money to help pay bills cause my wife was sick and that would help because I didn’t have the money. So then we were formally charged and now I am here before the court.”
The defence, led by attorney Sade Harris, then closed its case.
Closing arguments in the trial are set for next Thursday.
(JB)
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