Delay in receiving documents from Canada stalls drug case

Christopher Thomas, Gleaner Writer

WESTERN BUREAU:Two men accused of trafficking cocaine and ganja to Canada in December 2010 had their case stalled in the Montego Bay Resident Magistrate's Court due to lack of documents from Canada.

Sergeant Vincent Saddler, 52, is answering charges of conspiracy to export ganja, while 37-year-old former airport employee Donovan Clarke is charged with possession of and dealing in cocaine and conspiracy to export ganja.

In court on Monday, Resident Magistrate Vivienne Harris was told that the case file was still incomplete, as certain documents needed from the Canadian authorities had not yet been received.

Additionally, Saddler's attorney, Ernie Smith, asked RM Harris to release him from all aspects of the case, as Saddler had previously relinquished him as legal counsel. It was also disclosed that Valerie Neita-Robertson, another attorney representing Saddler, is currently out of the island.

Both men had their respective $500,000 bails extended until December 19 when the case will be mentioned again before the court.

Allegations are that on December 1, 2010, Saddler and Clarke were nabbed in an operation by investigators from the Anti-Corruption Branch, with respect to the trafficking of narcotics from the Sangster International Airport in Montego Bay to the Lester B. Pearson International Airport in Toronto, Canada. Nine alleged co-conspirators were also arrested in Canada during the same operation.