Magistrate throws out drug trafficking case against Parfaite Harmonie vendor

A Parfaite Harmonie vendor accused of narcotics trafficking was freed on Monday after a magistrate upheld a no-case submission and dismissed the charge at the Diamond Magistrates’ Court.

Twenty-seven-year-old Shamar Browne was found not guilty after Senior Magistrate Dylon Bess ruled that the prosecution had failed to establish a prima facie case requiring him to answer to the allegation.

Browne had been charged on May 28, 2024, with possession of narcotics for the purpose of trafficking.
His attorney, Bernard DaSilva, argued that the evidence presented by investigators was insufficient to meet the legal threshold.

He submitted that the State had not discharged its burden of proof at the prima facie stage and that Browne should therefore not be called upon to enter a defence.
The court agreed, resulting in the dismissal of the case and Browne’s acquittal.