At least 16 Crown witnesses to give evidence in ‘$30M cocaine haul’ case
The Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions is gearing up for a major trial at the Magistrate’s Court involving the quartet who were allegedly caught with the $30.9 million worth of cocaine on Virgin Gorda recently.
The trial, which involves local boat captain Nickel Simon, 36-year old government accountant Cryton Browne and Venezuelans Wilferedo Lopez Vargas and Hober Morillo Ybarbia, is expected to see at least 16 witnesses give evidence.
The trial is further expected to last roughly two weeks. It is scheduled to start on March 4.
Three of the accused men pleaded not guilty to the joint charge of importation of a controlled drug when they appeared before Magistrate Ayanna Baptiste DaBreo on Tuesday. The fourth accused, Simon, had pleaded not guilty on a previous occasion.
Meanwhile, the two Venezuelans – Ybarbia and Vargas – has admitted to landing without leave from an Immigration officer.
Defence attorneys Patrick Thompson and Reynela Rawlins represent Simon, while attorney-at-law Leroy Jones represents Browne, Vargas and Ybarbia.
The trial is further expected to last roughly two weeks. It is scheduled to start on March 4.
Three of the accused men pleaded not guilty to the joint charge of importation of a controlled drug when they appeared before Magistrate Ayanna Baptiste DaBreo on Tuesday. The fourth accused, Simon, had pleaded not guilty on a previous occasion.
Meanwhile, the two Venezuelans – Ybarbia and Vargas – has admitted to landing without leave from an Immigration officer.
Defence attorneys Patrick Thompson and Reynela Rawlins represent Simon, while attorney-at-law Leroy Jones represents Browne, Vargas and Ybarbia.
