Crew of cocaine ship before Fast Track High Court

Accra, Nov. 28, GNA - The five-member crew on board the MV Benjamin/MV Adede, which was allegedly used in transporting the 77 parcels of cocaine to Tema, was on Tuesday remanded into custody when they appeared before an Accra Fast Track High Court. Pak Bok Sil, a 46 year old Korean Engineer; Isaac Arhin, a 49-year-old sailor; Philip Kobina Bruce Arhin a 47 year-old-mechanic; Cui Xing Li, a 44 year old Chinese sailor, and Luo Yin Xing, a 49-year-old sailor.

With them in the dock was Jospeh Kojo Dawson, the owner of the Vessel.

Dawson is being held for using his property for narcotic offence while Pak is also being held for engaging in prohibited business relating to narcotics.

Isaac Arhin, Philip Arhin, Cui, and Luo are charged for possessing narcotic drugs without authority and engaging in prohibited business. The case was, however, adjourned to December 30 because three of the accused persons did not understand English language and could, therefore, not respond to their pleas.

The court presided over by Mr Justice Anin-Yeboah ordered the Registrar of the Court to write to the Korean and Chinese embassies to solicit the services of interpreters.

It noted that it would be unfair for the Court to take the pleas of the accused persons in a language that they did not understand. Meanwhile relations of the Ghanaians standing trial with the Chinese have expressed disgust at the claim of the foreigners that they could not speak English.

According to them, the accused persons have been working in Ghana for more than 10 years and as such were only trying to drag the trial. The charge sheet says on February 6 2006 Dawson, who is also a businessman, indirectly without lawful authority and with the intention of facilitating an enterprise relating to narcotic drugs, did allow one Asem Darkei aka Sheriff to use his vessel (MV Benjamin/MV Adede) to import 77 parcels each containing 30 kilograms of cocaine into the country without a licence issued by the Minister of Health. Pak is also said to have repaired the MV Benjamin vessel to facilitate the transportation of the 77 parcels of cocaine from Takoradi to Tema.

Isaac, Philip, Cui and Luo on April 27, 2006, who were on board the MV Benjamin vessel, allegedly had in their possession one parcel containing 30 slabs of cocaine each weighing about one kilogram.