The preliminary inquiry into the discovery of the 133 pounds of marijuana aboard the army's flagship four months ago resumed before Senior Magistrate Maxwell Edwards on Thursday.
Prosecution witness Lawrence Sinclair gave his evidence in chief and was cross-examined by defence counsel Vic Puran. Sinclair is a member of the GDF Coast Guard. The hearing is set to continue on November 18.
Puran was set to cross-examine prosecution witnesses Eon Austin and Godfrey Hackett. But the court heard that the two are out of the jurisdiction and will return for the next hearing.
Defence counsel was absent from the two previous hearings and the inquiry was adjourned on the last occasion. Ex-soldiers Wayne Inniss and Shandy Stephens were jointly charged on March 16 with conspiracy to traffic in narcotics. Inniss is facing a separate charge of trafficking in narcotics.
The cannabis was discovered aboard the GDF Essequibo after the vessel docked in Barbados to participate in the Tradewinds Exercise.