One of the two ex-soldiers charged in the ganja bust on the GDF Flagship last May has been granted bail.
Shandy Stephens of 188 Dacama Circle, Linden was yesterday granted $75,000 bail by Senior Magistrate Maxwell Edwards after defence counsel Vic Puran stated that there was no substantial proof against the accused from the evidence heard.
Stephens has been charged with conspiracy to traffic in narcotics. He was implicated following the discovery of 133 pounds of marijuana aboard the flagship of the Guyana Defence Force.
The ganja was discovered when the vessel docked in Barbados to participate in the Trade Winds Exercise on May 14 last year.
Ordinary Ratings Stephens was jointly charged with Wayne Inniss following the drug bust. The latter has also been accused of trafficking in narcotics. Both men along with Ordinary Ratings Errol Wilburg were dismissed from the GDF.
Inniss, who was an Able Ratings rank, was court-martialled while the other two men were tried and found guilty before being reduced in rank and dishonourably discharged.
Wilburg has not been involved in the preliminary inquiry (PI).
Inniss had escaped custody while in court at the Maraj Building on January 8 and he was shot in the arm by police in pursuit before being recaptured.
Both defendants have to return to court on February 4.