Tashieka Mair, Star Writer

WESTERN BUREAU

One of two persons who are facing cocaine possession charges was offered bail in the Montego Bay Resident Mag-istrate's Court on Thursday.

Marguerite Thompson of a Golden Spring address in Kingston was granted $100,000 bail with surety.

Thompson is charged along with George Barnes of Lilliput, St. James for possession, dealing in and attempting to export more than two pounds of cocaine.

He was, however, remanded.

The two has pleaded not guilty to the charges put before them. Thompson and Barnes are scheduled to return to court on March 5.

In a bail application on behalf of the woman, defence attorney Roy Fairclough said that his client was quite upfront with the police. According to him, she pointed out her co-accused as the one who had given her the bags in which the contraband was found.

He said though that she have been too naive in the circumstances.

The attorney reserved his application on behalf of Mr. Barnes.

The allegations are that on February 1, Thompson was seen checking in at the AJAS counter to board a Martin Air flight to Amsterdam from the Sangster International Airport with connections to Switzerland.

Barnes was also seen with a suitcase accompanying her. She was later stopped an interviewed at the security checkpoint where she told the officer that the suitcase the Mr. Barnes was carrying was hers.

The suitcase was searched and among items of female clothing a small travelling bag was seen. That bag was searched and three secret compartments allegedly containing five packages each were found.

The packages contained white powdery substance resembling cocaine and weighing 2.25 pounds.

When the discovery was made she pointed to Mr. Barnes whom she said had given her the suitcase and bag.

She also gave a statement claiming that the accused man's brother called her from Zurich and told her he would send her a plane ticket so she could visit his family for two weeks.

Thompson said that Barnes offered to buy the suitcase and bag even though she had offered to buy them herself.

However, in a statement to the police, Barnes implicated another man in Bogue, St. James, but was unable to point out the man's house when the police took him to the area where he said he met the man.