Joel Sookdeo, of Marabella, was stunned into silence last week Thursday when he was ordered to pay a $10,000 fine immediately or serve 12 months in prison with hard labour for marijuana possession. Sookdeo, who claimed he used the drug to treat his asthma, was handed the hefty fine, when he appeared before San Fernando Magistrate Alicia Chankar. Before passing sentence Chankar asked Sookdeo asked if marijuana was effective.
"It does work sometimes," he said. Chankar suggested he try "Ventolin" instead. "It is under CDAP. It's free and you pay for this. You ever think about that?" Chankar asked. Sookdeo and PH driver Kervin Quashie, also of Marabella, were jointly charged with possession of 119 grammes of marijuana on Wednesday. They both pleaded guilty.