The trial of a man accused of importing $500,000 worth of cannabis resumed on Monday after Defence counsel returned from a medical leave of absence.

Defence lawyer Victoria Pearman was in good spirits and back in fighting form when she returned to the Jamal Hart Supreme Court case after a period in Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, Maryland.

Hart is accused of importing the 24 pounds worth of cannabis on or about July 13, 2003.

It is alleged he asked SeaBridge International Shipping, based in New Jersey, to ship the freezer on the next available container care of his employer, The HWP Group.

He said the freezer was for a Roger Smith of 9 Beach Road, Somerset.

Customs agents in Bermuda discovered that the freezer contained nine ?bricks? of cannabis that weighed over 10,000 grams.

Yesterday, Best Shipping employee Alynn Pitcher said Hart told her Mr. Smith was an employee of HWP and needed his freezer immediately.

Ms Pitcher said she would not be able to speed up the process because the container had to be stripped and inspected before it could be released.

Hart then asked if there was anything he could do to speed the process up, she said.

Ms Pitcher told the court that she informed Hart that he could take the documents to Customs and get it inspected himself.

The following day he returned with the necessary forms and told her that Mr Smith would be by later to pick it up.

Earlier in the trial Roger Smith said he had not seen Hart in several years, did not work for HWP and did not purchase a freezer at any time.

Crown counsel Graveney Bannister finished his examination late in the day. Ms Pearman began her cross-examination but will continue it today.

Hart, 38, of Farm Lane, denies the charges. The trial continues