The jury in a Supreme Court trial of two men accused of conspiring to import cocaine in 16 golf clubs heard closing statements yesterday.

The case continued with 11 jurors. Lawyers agreed to proceed after a female juror who was sick last week returned and another was absent due to prior commitments.

Lang Onley, 40, of 12 Harvest Lane, Hamilton Parish and Richard Ricardo Steede, 39, of 12 Kitty's Lane, Hamilton Parish are alleged to have imported more than a pound of cocaine stuffed into the shafts of golf clubs. The men are also charged with possession of cocaine with intent to supply, and handling cocaine with a street value of $138,000.

The six-woman, five-man jury heard 16 cocaine-laced golf clubs arrived at the airport by Federal Express between March 28 and 31, last year.

Crown counsel Peter Eccles told the jury that circumstantial evidence can be more cogent than direct evidence.

Mr. Eccles said the defence made a suggestion that the writing on yellow post it could have been that of a Police officer.

"If they do not call any evidence to support such an allegation, then the defence should put up or shut up,'' said Mr. Eccles.

The post-it, which was found in Steede's house on a night stand, had a private number to the FedEx facility in St. George's.

Mr. Eccles said Richard Hector, Steede's lawyer, was between a rock and a hard place since the jury heard of an alleged attempt by Steede to strike a deal with his cousin James Lambert.

Mr. Eccles noted the central issue in the trial was knowledge. He claimed that Steede and Onley had knowledge, they had physical possession of the golf clubs. He told the jury to bear in mind that Steede and Onley imported the cocaine-laced clubs and this was a joint enterprise by them.

Onley told the court last week he met a man who offered to buy him some clubs over a year ago after a four-hour trek on the green at Mid Ocean Club. Onley said he told Mr. Lambert he met a rich guy called Mr. Addidas who offered to send the clubs to him.

Det. Con. Alex Severin earlier told the court Police received assistance from the Drug Enforcement Agency, but there was no one with the name nor fitting the description given by Onley of the sender of the golf clubs.

During the trial, the jury heard that the golf clubs were shipped to Mid Ocean Club to be collected by Onley who was employed there as a caddie. Last week Onley claimed Tuesdays were usually slow at the club so he was doing construction at number 12 Kitty's Drive. He said he went to Mid Ocean Club to pick up the golf clubs because he wanted to play a round of golf in the evening at Ocean View which is a public golf course.

He claimed he was a pillion rider on a motorcycle ridden by a man known as "Bayboy'' and not Steede. The court heard earlier that Steede was seen by undercover Det. Con. Clinard Burgess riding a motorcycle on Paynter's Road with a pillion. Steede was also later seen by the same officer who was doing surveillance near the Blue Hole Hill gas station in Hamilton Parish.

Onley, during his testimony, admitted that he was lying and his statement to Police was "trash''. Steede declined to give evidence in his defence.

Yesterday, Mr. Hector told the jury inferences may be drawn from the facts of the case. He said Mr. Lambert, a man who gave evidence for the Crown earlier in the case, was also arrested by Police on suspicion of possession of a controlled drug.

Det. Con. Severin confirmed that Mr. Lambert was released after he was found not to be connected to the Steede and Onley drug matter.

And Mr. Hector noted Mr. Lambert never gave information to Police until after almost a day in Police custody and when he was suffering from withdrawal symptoms (from drugs).

"Why did he want to give up his cousins?'' asked Mr. Hector.

The defence lawyer said Onley and Steede were not charged in respect to the golf bag which was washed by former Government analyst Shirley Bayne and found to have traces of cocaine.

"They are trying in a round-a-bout way to come to that conclusion by referring to the shipments of cocaine due,'' Mr. Hector, referring to evidence that Det. Con. Severin asked Onley whether the cocaine-laced golf clubs were one of many shipments due to arrive.

The narcotics officer said Onley told him: "Yea, this is one of many shipments.'' Mr. Hector also said there was no evidence the golf clubs were taken to Steede's house.

He continued by saying under Bermuda law if one has certain documents relating to a control drug, he or she is deemed to be in possession of the drug, according to Section 32 of the Misuse of Drugs Act. He said the piece of paper found in Steede's home could have been put there by anyone. Mr. Hector also stressed that the piece of paper found in the house were not linked to his client. And he pointed out that the address on the clubs was different from that on the package sent to Mid Ocean Club for Onley to pick up. The case is expected to go to the jury this afternoon.