HEARING of the application for the forfeiture of more than $6.4 million seized from Keron Clarke, the founder of Drugs Sou Sou (DSS), in October 2020 has been adjourned to July 5.
On Wednesday, the matter was called before acting senior magistrate Brambhanan Dubay in the Arima first court.
Clarke posted an update on social media, seemingly unhappy with the long adjournment, saying despite the application being made since July 2021, and the prosecution having over six months to prepare for Wednesday’s hearing, it had nothing ready to hand over to his defence team.
Clarke, represented by attorney Rosario Sookdeo, asked for the shortest possible adjourned date for the matter, but Dubay tsaid here were a number of matters, particularly murder cases, which are given priority, and the matter will be adjourned to the “regular" date of July 5.
In September 2020, police raided Clarke’s home at Kathleen Warner Drive, La Horquetta and seized close to $22 million, which they later returned.
In a subsequent raid, they seized the $6.4 million and Clarke was arrested.
He was later charged with two offences of money laundering contrary to section 45(1)(b) of the Proceeds of Crime Act.
According to the charges, Clarke received a television on a date unknown between May 3, 2019 and February 8, 2021, as collateral for a loan that the recipient was unable to repay.
He was also charged with receiving $1,850, on a date unknown between February 9, 2019 and December 3, 2020, as interest received on a loan, while running a moneylender's business without a licence.
Clarke shut down DSS and is challenging the police seizure.
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