Rahaman appears again in court
Evidence cites smaller amount of drugs -lawyer

Stabroek News
June 14, 2003

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Former Miss Guyana/ Universe Mia Rahaman, who was allegedly held with cocaine at a Canadian Airport last month, made a brief pre-trial appearance yesterday at the Ontario Court of Justice, in Brampton Ontario, where she is charged for the importation of a controlled substance.

Following yesterday’s hearing, Rahaman’s attorney, Dhaman Kissoon, told Stabroek News from Toronto that the Crown made a partial disclosure of evidence to the defence, which indicated that only four kilogrammes of the prohibited substance is alleged to have been found by authorities.

Rahaman, who has pleaded not guilty to the federal charge, was detained on the morning of Wednesday May 21 at the Pearson Inter-national Airport, outside Toronto, where she had travelled from Guyana via an Air Transat flight.

The Canadian customs authorities initially said they had discovered 7.5 kilogrammes of cocaine in her luggage with a reported street value of Cdn$1M.

Rahaman, who was accompanied in the courtroom by both her mother and father, appeared to be in low spirits during the brief hearing, according to reports out of Canada.

Explaining Rahaman’s pensive countenance, Kissoon said afterwards that the matter was “weighing heavily on her mind.”

In the coming weeks Kissoon will be reviewing the evidence as he plans a defence strategy. A Canadian customs spokesman had told Stabroek News that the prohibited substance was discovered in the false bottom and sides of Rahaman’s suitcase. The official said that smaller amounts of the substance were also found in three jars of various cosmetics, during a secondary inspection by authorities.

Following the find, Rahaman was handed over to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police who formally laid the charges against her.

The hearing will resume on August 1 while Rahaman remains on Cdn$5,000 bail and Cdn$20,000 surety.

If convicted of the charges, Rahaman, as a first-time offender, and in consideration of the amount with which she was allegedly found, could face a prison term of between 18 months to five years imprisonment. She would be automatically deported upon completion of prison term.

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