A marijuana cultivator who has been living in the Siparia forest for the past 16 years was sent to prison yesterday until Monday when a magistrate will decide his fate. Phil Guevara, 59, admitted to planting marijuana and being found with a homemade shotgun and two 12-gauge cartridges when he appeared before Siparia Senior Magistrate Joanne Connor. Deferring sentencing until Monday, the magistrate said: “You have been living in the forest for 16 years. You have no source of income. You seem to have a disconnect with society. I need to sleep on this and think about what to do with you.”
Court prosecutor Sgt Dridgenath Sookraj said Guevara was arrested on Wednesday after officers of the Operational Unit went seven miles into the forested area off Quinam Beach Road where the officers did surveillance around 3.30 pm. PC Keon Smith and the other officers caught Guevara pouring water from a bottle into several styrotex cups containing marijuana seedlings. Guevara also had the shotgun strapped across his shoulder. Smith approached him and took away the four-foot gun which he examined and found a cartridge. Another cartridge was found in Guevara’s possession.
When told of the offences, Guevara said: “Officer, I planting that weed to smoke and that gun and ammo is for hunting.” The gun, ammunition and 33 cups containing seedings were produced in court. In answer to the magistrate, Guevara, who was wearing a shirt, jeans and one side of slippers, said he planted the marijuana to use as medicine for his pneumonia. Asking Guevara if he knew about CDAP, she said: “You are not suppose to use that. Go to a doctor for him to prescribe something that is legal not illegal.” Guevara was living in the forest because of economic stress.