UPDATED: Son of Anand's housekeeper fined for 'accidental' ganja tree

KEVIN Ragbir, 36, the son of the housekeeper to former attorney general Anand Ramlogan, appeared before San Fernando magistrate Joanne Connor and pleaded guilty to having marijuana and cultivating it at his home.

The magistrate yesterday fined him $3,250 to cover both charges and ordered police to destroy the illegal narcotic.

As Ragbir walked out of the court, he hugged his smiling mother Goomatee Ragbir, 62.
Earlier in the case, persecutor Cleyon Seedan told the court that, at 7.10 am on Wednesday, police went to Ragbir's home at Sir Lamont Avenue, Philippine, with a warrant to search for guns and ammunition. The prosecutor said police from the Southern Division read it out to him then asked Ragbir if he had any illegal items.
He replied, "Boss I have a lil smoke in my room."

Ragbir, the court heard, also told police he had two buckets with trees.
Police found a plastic bag with 4.1 grammes of marijuana in a wooden cabinet and the two small paint buckets with three trees outside.
Police arrested and took him to the Mon Repos police station where PC Narine later charged him.

Ragbir's attorney Lester Chariah said his client was a gardener and a part-time electrician. He has no previous convictions or pending matters. Ragbir, Chariah said, had the marijuana for his personal use. The attorney told the magistrate he had an "embarrassing explanation" for his client cultivating the plant as it was grown accidentally.
The magistrate fined him $750 for having the marijuana and $2,500 for cultivating marijuana.
He has to pay $1,000 forthwith and outstanding amount within a month or serve four months in prison.

When police raided the home on Wednesday, a week after police raided the home of the former attorney general Anand Ramlogan, the Ragbir family accused police of political victimisation.
In a media release yesterday from the communications unit of the Police Complaints Authority (PCA), it said the organisation has launched an investigation pursuant to Section 26 of the PCA Act Chapter 15:05 into the conduct of police during "an alleged exercise" at the premises of the Ragbir family.

In an unrelated matter relating to the police raid at Gulf View, San Fernando, on May 3, it said the PCA found no evidence to suggest any misconduct on the part of the police.
The release said, "A preliminary investigation pursuant to Section 30 of the PCA Act Chapter 15:05, has been completed and there have been no findings of misconduct on the part of any police officer. The information gathered during this preliminary investigation is strictly confidential."

This story has been adjusted to include additional details. See original post below.

Kevin Ragbir, 36, the son of the housekeeper to former attorney general Anand Ramlogan, appeared before San Fernando magistrate Joanne Connor and pleaded guilty to having marijuana and cultivating it at his home.
The magistrate today fined him $3,250 to cover both charges and ordered police to destroy the illegal narcotic.
As Ragbir walked out of the court, he hugged his smiling mother Goomatee Ragbir, 62.
Earlier in the case, persecutor Cleyon Seedan told the court that, at 7.10 am on Wednesday, police went to Ragbir's home at Sir Lamont Avenue, Philippine, with a warrant to search for guns and ammunition. The prosecutor said police from the Southern Division read it out to him then asked Ragbir if he had any illegal items.
He replied, "Boss I have a lil smoke in my room."
Ragbir, the court heard, also told police he had two buckets with trees.
Police found a plastic bag with 4.1 grammes of marijuana in a wooden cabinet and the two small paint buckets with three trees outside.
Police arrested and took him to the Mon Repos police station where PC Narine later charged him.
Ragbir's attorney Lester Chariah said his client was a gardener and a part-time electrician. He has no previous convictions or pending matters. Ragbir, Chariah said, had the marijuana for his personal use. The attorney told the magistrate he had an "embarrassing explanation" for his client cultivating the plant as it was grown accidentally.
The magistrate fined him $750 for having the marijuana and $2,500 for cultivating marijuana.
He has to pay $1,000 forthwith and outstanding amount within a month or serve four months in prison.
When police raided the home on Wednesday, a week after police raided the home of the former attorney general Anand Ramlogan, the Ragbir family accused police of political victimisation.