KINGSTOWN, St Vincent (CMC) – A man charged with cultivating 25 marijuana trees, has told a court in St Vincent that he had marijuana in his possession to make wine.

And he took the opportunity during his trial to ask Chief Magistrate Rechanne Browne-Matthias whether or not she has ever tried the marijuana wine.“No thank you. I am not into that at all,” the chief magistrate told Samuel James during a jovial exchange as she determined what sentence to impose upon the man, who she had commended for his honesty.“I will trust your judgement,” Browne-Matthias further said in reference to James’ comments about the effectiveness of the drink.James pleaded guilty to the charge that on June 5, 2017 at Carib Mountain, he cultivated 25 marijuana plants in contravention of the Drug Prevention of Misuse Act. He also pleaded guilty to a charge that he had in his possession 1,008 grammes (2.22 pounds) of cannabis with intent to supply it to another.The Serious Offences Court heard that on June 5, members of the Regional Security System (RSS) were on patrol in the Carib Mountain when they saw the defendant in a marijuana field with a cutlass in his right hand.The RSS team continued to observe James and saw him planting cannabis. They later approached him and told him of their observation and uprooted 25 marijuana plants.The court heard that James told the police, “Officer, I am a musician and I plant weed to further my career.”During mitigation, the 46-year-old man, told the court that he has tried for the longest while to go to a studio to record his songs, but did not have the money to do so.James said that while he does “legitimate farming” he also cultivates some marijuana in Carib Mountain, adding that the marijuana he had at his house was to make wine, while the plants he was growing in the hills was to sell and also make wine.“Unfortunately, I was caught and I must take responsibility for my actions,” James said and asked the court to impose a fine on him and give him some time to pay.In response to a question from the chief magistrate, James told the court that ganja wine is a drink of choice for him, adding that he prefers it to alcohol, which “causes you to do frantic things”.He further volunteered that he makes the ganja wine at home and used to brew it in Barbados when he lived there.The magistrate noted that James had no criminal record, but pointed out that 1,008 grammes is a sizeable amount of marijuana, adding “but cannabis” — suggesting that it is not a harder drug, such as cocaine.“I should give you credit for your honesty,” she said, noting that James had volunteered to police the information about having marijuana at home also.“You will not be free,” the chief magistrate told the accused man, adding “there will be sanctions imposed. You will not receive a custodial sentence. You really did a calm mitigation… So tempered.”James was fined EC$800 (One Ec dollar =US$296) for cultivating the 25 marijuana plants.“Your honestly led them to 1,008 grammes of cannabis,” she said, and imposed a fine of EC$1,500 (US$555) for possession of the drug.“That’s a sizeable reduction from a likely EC$2, 600,” the chief magistrate said.