A foreign businessman facing several charges related to drug possession and importation has had his travel documents returned to him and is free to leave the country while his bail has been increased to EC $300,000, his company said in a statement on Tuesday.
Alkivaides ‘Alki’ David appeared during a brief hearing at the Basseterre Magistrate’s court on Tuesday. Media were not allowed entry to the hearing.
A spokesman for David’s company, Swissx, said that the businessman’s case has been postponed until September 23. Following the payment of the increased bail and the return of travel documents, David will be allowed to leave the Federation and return for his next hearing.
St. Kitts and Nevis police have not yet commented today on the court appearance.
David was arrested on May 9 and released on an initial cash bail of $30,000, $50,000 in two sureties, ordered to surrender all travel documents. The charges stem from an incident on May 7 in which he was detained at Robert L Bradshaw airport attempting to import cannabis seeds, seedlings and products after arriving on a private plane.
David was attempting to import the seeds and seedlings as part of a business venture with local farmers to grow legal cannabis for Swissz. He has denied the cannabis plants and seeds are illegal.
The company said that David’s cannabis seeds will be returned to him, while the seedlings will be kept as evidence. Swissx said that he plans to continue his efforts to build a cannabis business on St. Kitts.
“He looks forward to continuing plans to develop the medicinal cannabis industry on the island and bringing new prosperity to its citizens,” the company said.
David had arrived at the court shortly after 9am on Tuesday wearing a t-shirt, purple Bermuda shorts, flip-flops and a grey blazer. After being advised on the court’s dress code he left, quickly swapped clothes with an associate and returned wearing blue jeans.
Evidence was taken in to the court house by the authorities including a small tray of what appeared to be cannabis seedlings and a plastic bag containing an item wrapped in tinfoil.
