Mother, son lose drug trafficking appeal

A MOTHER and her son who were convicted of trafficking marijuana have lost their appeal and have had their sentences - totalling 45 years’ hard labour - confirmed.

Gloria Benn, 61, and Jason, 34, were in 2016 sentenced to 20 years and 25 years, respectively, after they were convicted of being in possession of 175 packets of marijuana which were found by police at Benn’s Orisha shrine at Achong Trace, Tunapuna, on January 21, 2006, when they executed a search warrant.

The Benns’ attorneys, at their appeal, complained of the judge’s handling of the case and her directions to the jury in several ground of appeal which were heard by Justices Alice Yorke-Soo Hon, Rajendra Narine and Mark Mohammed.

In delivering the appellate court’s decision, Mohammed said the judge correctly directed the jury on the law and evidence as it related to the complaints raised at the appeal, nor did she err when she admitted certain evidence at the trial.

According to the evidence against the two, police had the shrine under surveillance before they got a search warrant for the place.

Jason Benn was seen by police in actual possession of the 17 bags of marijuana while his mother was the owner of the premises where the drugs were found, so she too was found culpable for the crime.

During the search, the 17 large black plastic bags were found in the worship area of the shrine.