Two St Catherine men fined $100,000 each for RADA receipt breaches

Two of three men who pleaded guilty to breaches of the Agricultural Produce Act were fined $100,000 each or two months in prison in the St Catherine Parish Court on Monday.

Marvin Rodney of Linstead, St Catherine, was charged with failing to have a receipt, while Herman Golding of Clarendon was charged with failing to issue a receipt.

The third accused, Wayne Barrieffe, pleaded guilty with an explanation but failed to appear in court. A warrant was subsequently issued for him.

Barrieffe was the driver of the vehicle in which four bags of cassava tubers were found.

Presiding Judge Desiree Alleyne reduced the original fines of $200,000 following an application by an attorney.

Alleyne told the accused that the court was being lenient, noting that the maximum fine is $3 million.

The court heard that on March 25, the police intercepted a motor vehicle driven by Barrieffe, with Rodney as a passenger, along the Time and Patience main road in St Catherine.

Checks of the cargo revealed four bags of cassava valued at $50,000.

The police inquired about the receipt issued by the Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA). Rodney explained that he had bought the cassava from Golding in May Pen, Clarendon.

Rodney and Barrieffe were arrested, and contact made with Golding led to his arrest when he turned up in Linstead.

All three men were charged following question-and-answer sessions.

- Rasbert Turner

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