A man accused of smuggling cannabis and liquid cocaine into Bermuda said he lied to police about being threatened because he wanted to be released on bail.

Alexta Gill, 31, told the Supreme Court that while he had told the truth in an original interview in which he said he knew nothing about the drugs, he made up a story in a second interview after speaking with a lawyer.

“I felt like I had to say something to them even if I had to make up something,” he said.

“I already told them my truth in the first interview and I don’t know what more they wanted from me.”

However, in cross-examination, he admitted that the “true” version of events he gave police before he spoke with a lawyer contradicted the story he gave in court about his movements on the island.

Mr Gill, a 31-year-old Guyanese national, has denied charges that he imported cannabis and cocaine into the island on March 4, 2023.

The court heard that he arrived on the island with Jhordan George-Horsford on a flight from Toronto on March 2, but one of their suitcases missed the flight and arrived two days later.

A search of the bag revealed six “bricks” of plant material later confirmed to be 9,472.6 grams of cannabis, and a bottle of whiskey, which was found to contain liquid cocaine, from which 812.4g of the controlled drug was extracted.

Mr Gill was arrested and, during a police interview, said that he had agreed to bring a suitcase to the island for someone named “Andre” to clear a debt after receiving death threats.

On Monday, he told the jury that he had actually come to Bermuda to celebrate Ms George-Horsford’s birthday and had no knowledge of any drug plot.

Mr Gill said that in his first police interview, on March 6, he had maintained that he had no idea how the drugs came to be in the suitcase.

As the trial continued yesterday, he said that the first interview had left him “a little bit shaken” and that he became more concerned in the second interview when officers said that they did not believe his version of events.

“I started to get a little bit scared,” he said. “I’m locked up and these officers are saying that they don’t believe me.”

Mr Gill said he asked for a break to speak to his counsel at the time, Bruce Swan, and asked him if he thought the police officers believed him.

While he was not able to say what Mr Swan said to him, he told the court that he did not receive legal advice and left the conversation with the understanding that he needed to tell the police what they wanted to hear.

“At that point, I had told them the truth in my first interview and they came again asking more questions that I could not answer,” he said. “I thought if I tell them what they want to hear, if I make up something, I will probably get bail.”

Mr Gill said he completely fabricated the story about “Andre” and being threatened, and he was released on bail after the second interview.

Under cross-examination by Khadija Beddeau, for the Crown, Mr Gill agreed that he would have no reason to lie about his movements on the first day on the island, but the version of events he gave the court differed from those he told police before his conversation with Mr Swan.

While Mr Gill told police he had drinks at the Fourways Restaurant and Inn on the night of his arrival and then went to Ice Queen for food, he told the court he had stopped at Ice Queen on his way to the Fourways.

He also accepted that while he told the court he had purchased cannabis outside Warwick Workmen’s Club that night, he never mentioned the club in police interviews, stating instead that he had obtained cannabis through someone at Ice Queen.

Mr Gill also accepted that he had given conflicting versions of how a suitcase was damaged and where they had spent the first night in Bermuda.

Ms Beddeau also challenged his timeline of his first evening in Bermuda, suggesting that while he had said he purchased the cannabis at 7pm or 8pm, the story he told the court would have meant he would not have reached the workmen’s club until almost 11pm.

While Ms Beddeau suggested that the club closed at 10pm, Mr Gill responded: “I have no idea of that.”

She also questioned Mr Gill about the problem with the hotel reservation, suggesting that the hotel room was not actually booked until it was paid for at 12.29pm on March 3.

Mr Gill said he was not sure what the problem was as Ms George-Horsford had dealt with it and she did not mention what the issue was at any point.

The trial continues.

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