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Musician found not guilty after trial for heroin possession

A British man accused of possessing heroin with intent to supply has been found not guilty by a jury in the Supreme Court.

Jurors went out at 11.10am to consider the case and returned to the courtroom with the 10 to 2 verdict shortly before 5.30pm.

David Osadebay, 38, was acquitted after denying allegations that he possessed diamorphine, commonly known as heroin, with intent to supply on August 4, 2023.

Over the course of his trial, the jury heard that Mr Osadebay flew to the island on July 3, 2023 using a British passport with the name “Joshua Webb”.

He was arrested on August 4 on suspicion of using fraudulent documents to enter Bermuda and, as part of the investigation, police searched his room at the Royal Palms Hotel.

Inside the hotel room’s safe, police found a series of plastic-wrapped capsules, which were together found to contain more than 160 grammes of heroin with a purity of between 9 per cent and 11 per cent.

DNA tests conducted on scraps of the plastic wrapping revealed two male profiles, one of which Mr Osadebay acknowledged was his.

However, he told the court that he had no knowledge of the drugs in his safe until after his arrest.

Mr Osadebay told the court that he was a hip-hop artist who performed under the name “C Biz” and would use other names for travel to avoid media scrutiny.

He said that he had come to Bermuda on holiday and to learn more about the music scene and was shown around the island by an individual called “Jay”.

Mr Osadebay said that on August 4, he had intended to visit Cup Match but spent most of the day waiting to be picked up.

He told the court that, in the afternoon, Jay arrived with another man and both asked to use Mr Osadebay’s bathroom.

He said that they also asked if they could leave something in the room. He agreed and told them the combination to the safe.

Mr Osadebay said he did not see what was put in the safe. He was arrested minutes later while being driven along Parson’s Road.

Marc Daniels, for Mr Osadebay, told the jurors that the DNA found on the capsules could have been transferred on to them when the police placed them on the hotel room’s bed to photograph them.

He argued the prosecution’s case was built on “speculation, innuendo and guesswork” and insisted the jury could not feel sure enough to convict the defendant.

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