Chairman of the Barbados Private Sector Association (BPSA) and Goddard Enterprises, Charles Herbert and another director of the company were Friday released on US$200,000 bail after appearing in court on charges of marijuana possession, possession with intent to supply and trafficking.
While Herbert, 62, and Christopher Glenn Rogers, 56, were able to leave the precincts of the District ‘A’ Magistrates’ Court after posting securities, their co-accused, 55-year-old sailor Walter O’Neal Prescod, who was offered US$225,000 bail, was remanded to prison until Monday, after being unable to secure a surety.
The three were detained on Monday following the seizure of 276 pounds of drugs on the yacht, Ecstasy, owned by the Goddard Group.
Acting on a tip-off, members of the Royal Barbados Police Force Drug Squad had conducted an operation on the vessel and confiscated the drugs, valued at approximately US$267,000.
However, speaking after leaving the court, Herbert insisted that he and Rogers were not guilty. “I want to assert clearly to the public that we are entirely innocent of all of the charges,” he said.
And while thanking the Drug Squad and the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) for handling the matter “in a professional way” and “working exceedingly hard over the last four days to assemble evidence related to this case”, Herbert contended that all that evidence “clearly supports our innocence”.
Shocked at charges
“We are therefore shocked that cases were brought against us, and we can only assume that the people who made the decision lack the courage to stand by the truth that they themselves have discovered and that they are sworn to uphold. “I want to call on the Director of Public Prosecutions to urgently review the evidence that has been collected and to preserve the integrity of the Police Force,” Herbert added.
Statement from Goddard Enterprise
After the trio was detained, Goddard Enterprises issued a statement saying it was aware of an investigation into two of its board members and an employee, and that deputy chairman William Putnam would act as chairman in the interim.
Herbert said Friday that a decision would be made in due course on whether he will return to that position.
“I have to review whether I am even able to do so while a charge of drug trafficking hangs over my head and challenges my credibility. Any decision that I make would be in the interest of the company that I represent, and if my continuing harms them, then I will not continue,” he said.
Herbert said that the same position applied to his role as chairman of the BPSA. “If I hurt the credibility of the private sector, then I will certainly resign my position.”
Under the conditions of their bail release, Herbert and Rogers had to surrender their passports and must report to their nearest police stations once a week. They return to court on November 6.
