King Koyeba risks 2-year prison sentence

Local artist Lowinso M a.k.a. King Koyeba risks spending the next 2 years in the state penitentiary for selling drugs. District Attorney Shanta Mahadew also demanded that the defendant be given a fine of SRD 5,000 or an additional 4-month prison sentence. The other defendant in this case, Jermaine A, who is also on trial for selling drugs risks a 4-year prison sentence and a fine of SRD 10,000 or an additional prison sentence of 6 months.

King Koyeba and Jermaine A were arrested on drug charges on October 15. The police raided a house after they had received a tip that somebody was in possession of a huge quantity of marijuana. A man reportedly told investigators that he had been instructed by King Koyeba to pick up a suitcase. When the police went to the house of the artist, they met his nephew, S. The police confiscated 563 grams of marijuana that the nephew had in his possession. The nephew who is a student told the police that he had to keep and sell the drugs for his uncle.

District Attorney Mahadew pointed out that the nephew had also told the court the retail price of the marijuana. King Koyeba was caught with 116.4 grams of drugs in his possession. He reportedly bought the drugs from Jermaine A. King Koyeba exercised his right to remain silent. The district attorney pointed out that the man should have been a good role model to his nephew but that he took advantage of him so that he could provide for his children. She also pointed out that the amount of drugs that the artist had in his possession was not for personal use but for the drug trade. Jermaine A reportedly had 6,120 grams of marijuana in his possession. Jermaine A had sold drugs to Koyeba one day prior to the police raid. Jermaine A had ‘received’ 6 kilos from a man who goes by the name Rietje. He was reluctant to divulge more information about his ‘supplier.’ Defense attorneys Raoul Lobo and Lygia Palmburg will present their closing arguments on February 27.