TWO men on firearm charges were granted bail recently in the sum of $500,000 each in the St James Parish Court.

The accused — Kevon Ferguson, 21, and Ackarie Earl, 25 — are charged with possession of a prohibited weapon and unauthorised possession of ammunition.

According to the prosecution, on August 13, police went to Dumfries, St James, to execute a search warrant. Upon arrival, the officers knocked on the door and identified themselves and the warrant was served on one of the two men inside.

During a search of the premises the police entered the kitchen where they allegedly found a black and silver 9mm pistol between a two-burner stove. Six 9mm cartridges were subsequently removed from the weapon.

The court was told that both were arrested, charged and cautioned separately. Under caution, Earl reportedly said, “A so life go.”

When Ferguson was cautioned, he reportedly asked the officer if he could get bail.

In his bail application, attorney Chumu Paris stated that there are two houses in the yard and that nothing on the men’s part indicated they had knowledge, custody or control of the weapon.

“The area can be accessed by more than one person. If anyone wanted to go to the kitchen area they could do so without the knowledge of my clients,” Paris said.

Presiding judge Gary Reid then granted the men bail and instructed them to report to specific police stations on specific days.

The case was transferred to the Western Regional Gun Court for mention on October 3.

Woman fined $40,000 for fraudulent passport

A woman has been slapped with a $40,000 fine for possession of a fraudulent passport, which she had used for travel on four occasions.

The woman, Meva McKnight, 56, was sentenced by presiding judge Gary Reid at the St James Parish Court after pleading guilty to making a false declaration.

The defendant was preparing to board a flight at the Sangster International Airport on August 9 when an officer from the Investigation and Surveillance Unit realised there was an “issue” with her passport.

Further investigation revealed two passport application forms, one under the name Meva McKnight and the other under the name Sharon Icilda Smith. Four instances of travel were linked to the Sharon Icilda Smith passport, which was issued in 2004.

McKnight was later contacted by the investigating officer and arrangements were made to conduct a verification.

On August 12 she visited the Investigation and Surveillance Unit where she was shown the application forms as well as a computer database printout with photos that she confirmed were of herself.

When questioned, McKnight admitted that she was employed in the Bahamas in 2003 but had stayed beyond the allotted time and was later deported.

Under caution, she reportedly said, “I just want to go back and continue working.”

In mitigation, attorney-at-law Chumu Paris said that his client did what every single mother would do, noting that an individual had instructed his client to obtain the passport using a different name, and she naively complied, returning to the Bahamas and staying there for one month in 2006. Furthermore, he stated that this was the only occasion when she used that passport.

“She did not do it for personal gain. It was for the sacrifice she wanted to make for her children,” the lawyer said.

Presiding judge Gary Reid acknowledged that the defendant did not waste the court’s time, but he also stated that her actions were not appropriate and that she should have trusted God.

“Sometimes opportunity comes and we don’t realise it,” the judge said before ordering McKnight to pay a fine of $40,000 or serve 10 days in jail.