BELIZE CITY, Mon. Jan. 30, 2017–A 59-year-old grandmother was brought by police to the Magistrate’s Court today for the court’s afternoon session. She cried most of the time she was in the court’s holding cell area. At least the police officers controlling the court holding cell did not see it fit to put the weeping grandmother in the cell.

By the time Beverly Whylie’s case came up before Chief Magistrate Ann Marie Smith, she was overwhelmed in sadness and barely could walk to the courtroom, where she sat down after she managed to walk in, her tears still streaming down her cheeks.

Chief Magistrate Smith read the charge to Whylie, who pleaded “guilty with a cause.”

Police charged Whylie, a Pinks Alley resident, for being in possession of 23.9 grams of cannabis.

The bust occurred around 10:50 a.m. when members of the North Side Strike Team visited Whylie’s home, located at 3 Pinks Alley, and decided to conduct a search for illegal drugs and firearms.

Police found the stash of cannabis underneath a sofa, hidden in a black plastic bag. Inside the plastic bag, police found 16 small parcels of cannabis, amounting to 23.9 grams.

In tears, Whylie, a first-time offender, told the court that she uses cannabis to help her alleviate her arthritis pains.

Chief Magistrate Smith imposed a fine of $200 and asked Whylie when she could pay. Whylie told the court that if she paid the fine, she would not be able to eat.

The Chief Magistrate explained to her that she could tell the court when she could pay the fine. Whylie said she could pay by the end of April. If she defaults on payment, she will have to serve one month in prison.

After the hearing, Whylie sat on the court steps to regain her composure before she got up and walked away.