A man who said he was unaware of ganja being in his luggage at the Norman Manley International Airport was sentenced in the Corporate Area Resident Magistrate's Court on Wednesday.

Alric Stewart of a Corporate Area address pleaded guilty to possession of, dealing in and taking steps to export ganja.

Allegations are that the accused man was stopped and searched during a routine spot check. During the search, the drug was found in his luggage. The ganja weighed 2.6 kilograms (5lb, 8oz).

Stewart begged the court for leniency indicating that he was the father of a 22-day-old child and a young stepson. He added that he was going to Trinidad to acquire a job that a friend got for him and that he did not know about the drug.

He received a mandatory sentence of six months in prison and was fined $8,000 or six months for possession, $16,000 or six months for dealing in and $24,000 or six months for attempting to export ganja.