Rastafarian leader will appeal Supreme Court ruling on religious use of cannabis

By LYNAIRE MUNNINGS Tribune Staff Reporter lmunnings@tribunemedia.net

A LOCAL Rastafarian leader said the community would support an appeal of a Supreme Court judge’s ruling that laws prohibiting the possession and use of marijuana do not breach their constitutional rights to freedom of religion.

Lorenzo Stubbs challenged Section 29 (6) of the Dangerous Drugs Act, which prohibits drug possession, alleging the provision infringes on his right to practice his faith. He brought the case after he was arrested in December 2021 when police found 1.6 ounces of marijuana at his home.

On Tuesday, Justice Lorein Klein rejected his application, ruling that legislators were within their right to pass a law that does not include a religious exemption for marijuana use.

T Hree C Hinese Men Held On Charges Of Human Trafficking

By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Staff Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net

THREE Chinese nationals were jailed after allegedly being implicated in a human trafficking scheme in the Berry Islands earlier this year.

Acting Chief Magistrate Roberto Reckley charged Xiyang Gao, 32, Li Qiang, 24, and Feng Guo, 32, with human trafficking.

Gao alone faced a charge of trafficking in persons.

All three men faced shared charges of conspiracy to engage in trafficking in persons, grievous harm and unlawful withholding of identification papers.

The trio were allegedly involved in the trafficking of Zhao Jinbo between March 1 and July 19 after the victim was found in Bird Cay in the Berry Islands. During this timeframe, the accused also allegedly withheld Jinbo’s Chinese passport and caused him serious injury.

Through the help of an interpreter, Magistrate Reckley informed the accused that their matter would be transferred to the Supreme Court through a voluntary bill of indictment (VBI).

Before being remanded at the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services, the trio were told of their right to apply for bail through the higher court.

Terrell Butler represented the accused.

Priest Jevon Thompson, chairman of the Ethiopia Africa Black International Congress Bahamas Branch, located on Fire Trail Road, expressed disappointment in the ruling yesterday.

“We feel slighted,” he said.

“We feel disappointed, aggrieved, because, you know, the matter has been taking place for a while, and we’ve been putting out challenges in the past.

“And we felt that this was a good opportunity for the judge to make a ruling in our favour from the judiciary aspect, and then the legislative or the government will have to follow.

“So, the judge seems to take a backseat and allow the legislature to make the first move. So, in other words, again, it infringes on our constitutional rights.

“So, we plan to appeal and take it to the other court, because, like I say, it’s been a long time now and it’s like kicking the football round and round from left to right, up and down all around, you know, between different governments.”

Some countries have legislated religious exemptions for marijuana use.

Members of the Rastafarian community still face challenges getting their criminal records for marijuana convictions expunged.

Priest Jevon said: “I feel like we behind the eight ball, really and truly. I mean, other countries throughout the diaspora moving in this direction and we just trying and waiting, and we really don’t know why.”

In June, Attorney General Ryan Pinder said the government would release its draft cannabis bills in July. However, that did not happen.