BVI : Dexter Chance, the St. Vincent national who was charged in 2008 with the importation of drugs, was yesterday sentenced to six years imprisonment by Senior Magistrate Valerie Stephens.
Chance along with two other St. Vincent nationals were extradited to the British Virgin Islands to stand trial on cocaine charges, and were all convicted along with one local Dale Nibbs in connection with the seizure of some 59 blocks of cocaine weighing some 61.21 kilograms in January 2008.
The substance was found concealed aboard a catamaran docked at Hodges Creek having come from St. Vincent. The substance was uncovered with the use of a power saw by one of the defendants. Police documented the act, a move which worked in their favor in the absence of the actual evidence at court.
All the defendants were tried jointly but Magistrate Stevens said she made her assessment individually, noting that each of the accused had to show intent to commit the offence.
The magistrate said she considered three factors when making her ruling. These include the fact of importation of drugs from St. Vincent in two concealed bags, the physical evidence and the evidence from the forensic analyst. To the first point, she said she was indeed satisfied with the evidence provided by the prosecution through exhibits and witnesses statements, but had some reservations about the prosecution’s star witness – a convicted drug trafficker.
Further, the absence of the actual bags of drugs at trial was not considered to work against the Crown since the magistrate said she was also satisfied with the documentation process and the find.
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