A Gasparillo woman who was kidnapped some time ago and her estranged husband were remanded in custody yesterday on a series of arms, ammunition and marijuana charges.Josanne Sammy, 27, a housewife, and Ryad Baksh, 27, a scrap iron dealer, have been in custody since they were arrested last Thursday.When they appeared before magistrate Adia Mohammed in the San Fernando Second Magistrates Court yesterday, prosecutor Sgt Russell Ramoutar objected to bail to accommodate a fingerprint trace to determine if they have other criminal court matters.Baksh and Sammy are jointly charged with having in their possession at Pond Street, La Romaine last Friday, three rounds of .38 ammunition, a revolver and 180 grammes of marijuana.
Additionally, Baksh faces four other charges, including having in his possession at Palmiste Boulevard, Palmiste, last Thursday a prohibited weapon, namely a mini-cannon, 12 rounds of 9 mm ammunition and 19 rounds of ten-gauge cartridges, 9mm Beretta and 1.8 grammes of marijuana. They were not called upon to plead to the alleged offences which were laid indictably.Ramoutar, who gave a description of the exhibits, described the cannon as being 18 inches in length, with a ten-inch barrel.The couple, who were charged by PC Douglas, were represented by attorney Subhas Panday.In seeking bail for Sammy, Panday said she had a traumatic life, having been kidnapped.Sammy had gone to Baksh's the night before the police arrested them to attempt a reconciliation."She was in the wrong place at the wrong time," he said.
Panday said she had no previous convictions or pending matters.Ramoutar said the police could not do a fingerprint trace because the computer had broken down, but they were able do a name check. Ramoutar said Sammy and her family were charged with possession and trafficking drugs.However, Sammy said her brother was found guilty on those matters and everyone else was discharged. Ramoutar made a similar objection for bail in relation to Baksh.The magistrate upheld the objection and advised the two of their right to apply to a judge in chambers for bail and adjourned the matter to Wednesday.