Bail denied for ex-prison officer in 345 lbs cannabis seizure; co-accused released on $500,000

A former prison officer was remanded to prison on Thursday after her bail application was denied in connection with the seizure of more than 345 pounds of suspected cannabis along the West Coast of Berbice.
Sarfina Cheddy was denied bail by Her Worship Tuanna Hardy at the Fort Wellington Magistrate’s Court. The court noted that Cheddy had allegedly committed a similar offence while already on bail, a factor that weighed heavily in the decision.
Her co-accused, Shemay Bryan, was granted bail in the sum of $500,000. As part of her bail conditions, Bryan must lodge all relevant travel documents and report every other Friday to the nearest police station in her district.
Both women are charged with possession of narcotics for the purpose of trafficking and have pleaded not guilty.
The charges stem from a police operation conducted on Saturday, January 24, along the Number 10 Public Road, West Coast Berbice. Magistrate Hardy noted that the vehicle involved was not registered to either of the accused. The court also heard that the prosecution had not provided full disclosure of its case, and no trial date has been set, with proceedings expected to commence in April or May. The matter has been adjourned to March 26, 2026, for report and further disclosure.
According to police reports, ranks conducting a stop-and-search exercise intercepted a motor car at approximately 07:20 hrs. A search of the trunk revealed several brown salt bags and black garbage bags containing bulky parcels wrapped in transparent plastic, suspected to be cannabis. The total quantity recovered was 345.8 pounds, described by authorities as a significant seizure for the division.
During earlier proceedings, Police Prosecutor Sergeant Garfield Edwards informed the court that Cheddy, formerly known as Sarafina Pitt, is already before the court on a separate narcotics charge. In December 2022, she was allegedly found with 500 grams of cannabis at the New Amsterdam Prison, a matter which remains pending.
Bryan told the court she operates a grocery business in Smithfield, while Cheddy described herself as a housewife.