By Glenroy Sinclair, Staff Reporter
Donald 'Zekes' Phipps in the presence of police personnel as he appeared before the Corporate Area Court in Half-Way Tree, St. Andrew, yesterday. - RUDOLPH BROWN/Chief Photographer
MATTHEWS LANE area leader, Donald 'Zekes' Phipps, was offered bail in the sum of $1.5 million when he appeared in the Corporate Area Criminal Court yesterday.
"I am offering you bail on the condition that you surrender your travel documents, report three days per week at the Central Police Station," Resident Magistrate Judith Pusey told the very attentive Phipps.
Phipps was picked up and detained on Sunday during a massive joint military/police operation in the Matthews Lane community of west Kingston. An establishment, known as 'Sons of the Lane Grocery Store', reportedly owned by Phipps, was searched and two pounds of ganja, 26 rounds of .45 cartridges, in addition to over 40 bottles of pharmaceutical items were found.
TRAVEL DOCUMENTS A PROBLEM
Up to late yesterday, reports were that Phipps was unable to take up the bail offer, because of problems he was experiencing with his travel documents.
His attorney, Churchill Neita Q.C., confirmed that his client had not yet posted bail but was in the process of doing so.
As part of the condition of bail, Phipps must hand over his passport to the police. A stop order has also been placed on the accused, who is to report to the police on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays between the hours of 6:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. Phipps is scheduled to return to court on November 2.
Yesterday, scores of Matthews Lane residents turned up outside the courthouse to support their community leader. They had to stay outside as the perimeter boundary of the courthouse was lined with heavily armed members of the security forces. While inside the courtroom, seated in the dock, Mr. Phipps' eyes kept searching the packed room, looking at faces, then nodded to those he recognised.
Phipps has been charged with illegal possession of and dealing in ganja, unlawful possession of property and illegal possession of ammunition. On Wednesday, he was questioned for several hours by a team of senior detectives, in relation to the $9 million that was also found in his possession.
