By PAVEL BAILEY
Tribune Staff Reporter
pbailey@tribunemedia.net

AN American woman accused of possessing a gun and ammunition in The Bahamas was cleared yesterday after prosecutors admitted the case stemmed from a Customs matter.

Tonya Forde, 55, of Tennessee, was accused of having a black Taurus handgun, 40 .45 rounds, and 50 .410 rounds in New Providence on October 27.

She pleaded not guilty before Magistrate Lennox Coleby to possession of an unlicenced firearm and two counts of possession of ammunition with intent to supply.

Forde told the court she did not know her husband had sent guns in the package delivered to her.

Prosecutor Corporal 3738 Johnson moved to withdraw the charges, saying the issue was a Customs matter. The charges were then formally dropped.

Forde was represented by Mark Penn.