A woman who claimed she took razor blades, scissors and four ounces of ganja to a friend, because she was asked to do so, was fined and also sentenced to hard labour in the Spanish Town Resident Magistrate's Court, in St.Catherine Jamaica, yesterday.

Brenda Reid, who is from Spanish Town, told Resident Magistrate Marcia Dunbar-Green that she smuggled the contraband to a friend after a man approached her with a container holding food, along with the illegal items.

"Your Honour, him give mi di food to take to the jail. I did not know what in di basin until di police show me," Reid told the court to much laughter.

She told the court she did not know how long the man was in custody, but decided to do him a favour.

The RM, however, told the accused her story was unbelievable. "You have to be taught a lesson, that you must not take contraband to those in custody," Dunbar-Green said.

Reid was fined $400 or 10 days for possession of ganja, and $4,000 or 10 days for possession of an offensive weapon. She was also sentenced to 10 days at hard labour for transporting contraband.

Allegations are that on September 26, about noon, Reid visited the Portmore Police Station. She carried a large container with chicken, dumplings and rice. The food was searched and the contraband found.

She was then charged with possession of ganja, transporting contraband to a penal facility and being in possession of an offensive weapon.

The RM said she was shocked that four women appeared in court for trying to smuggle contraband to those in custody.