British woman on cocaine charge gets May 22 trial date
A trial date has finally been set for British woman Ashanta Ferguson, who was charged last November in connection with the seizure of two kilogrammes of cocaine.
Ferguson was given the hearing date on Monday when she appeared in the St James Parish Court.
When the case was previously mentioned before sitting Parish Judge Natiesha Fairclough-Hylton on January 23, the court was told that the forensic certificate was still outstanding.
However, when it was brought up in court on Monday before sitting Parish Judge Kaysha Grant-Pryce, the court was told that the certificate is now ready.
The case was subsequently set for trial on May 22, with Ferguson’s bail extended.
Ferguson, a 20-year-old customer service representative from the West Midlands in England, was getting ready to board a flight out of the Sangster International Airport for the United Kingdom on November 19, 2022, when her luggage was subjected to a routine search.
During the search, two packages, containing what is believed to be cocaine, with an estimated street value of £50,000 (approximately J$9.5 million), were found concealed in false compartments of her luggage.
She was subsequently charged with possession of cocaine, dealing in cocaine, attempting to export cocaine, and conspiracy to export cocaine.