KINGSTON, Jamaica – An Antiguan man who was held at the Norman Manley International airport earlier this month, was sentenced to nine months in prison when he appeared in a Corporate Area Court on Wednesday.

Granville Thomas, who pleaded guilty to possession of marijuana, dealing in marijuana and taking steps to export the drug, was also fined US $400. If the fine is not paid, he will spend an additional six months in prison.

During the court appearance, Magistrate Georgianna Fraser dismissed a plea from Thomas’ attorney for his client to be fined and sent home and not slapped with a custodial sentence.

However, the magistrate refused, insisting that she has to dispense the same penalty that a Jamaican would have received in Antigua.

“I will just be as courteous to him as they would have been to us …. I will just give him room and board before sending him on his way,” she said.

Thomas was found with 3.8 pounds of marijuana in his suitcase when he held on September 9. (CMC)