Appeals court overturns drug acquittal

The Court of Appeal on Monday overturned the acquittal of a man who had been accused of possessing and supplying illegal drugs, sentencing him to seven months in prison.

The appeal against the man’s acquittal had been filed by the attorney-general, and the appeals court concluded that the court of first instance had made an error of judgement.

“Setting aside the first-instance decision and accepting the position of the attorney-general, based on the findings of the court of first instance, the court should have convicted and not acquitted the accused,” the court said.

It added that “the court of first instance erroneously acquitted” the individual.

In sentencing the man to seven months behind bars, the court said it “notes the seriousness of the offences and the importance that sentences are in their nature a deterrent.”

In addition, it said that “the Supreme Court has on too many occasions had to emphasise the dire need for severe and deterrent sentencing in efforts to combat the scourge of drugs.”