By NICO SCAVELLA

Tribune Staff Reporter

nscavella@tribunemedia.net

A SWISS woman tourist was ordered to make a near $1,000 donation to two local institutions after being caught with a small amount of cocaine yesterday morning.

According to a police prosecutor, Anita Wenger, 31, of Switzerland, was found with half a gram of cocaine shortly after 8.30am when officers on foot patrol in the Bay Street area searched a car she was in.

She was subsequently arrested and charged with one count of possession of dangerous drugs.

Wenger told the court that she received the cocaine from someone on the beach as a birthday gift. She claimed she was very drunk at the time and simply accepted it and placed it in her purse.

Magistrate Jeanine Weech-Gomez ultimately ordered Wenger to make a $750 donation: $375 is to be made out to the Ranfurly Home for Children while another $375 is to be made out to the Persis Rodgers Home for the Aged.

Failure to do so would result in six months at the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services.