Five charged with cocaine offences

Accra, Aug. 4, GNA -- Five persons including Kwabena Amaning alias Tagor; Alhaji Abass Issah; Kwabena Acheampong and Kwadwo Ababio arrested soon after testifying before Justice Georgina Woode Committee on Wednesday were on Friday put before an Accra Circuit Court. The other person, who appeared together with them, was Victor Kisseh alias Yaw Billa.

They are facing charges of conspiracy, importation of narcotic drugs without licence, engaging in prohibited business relating to narcotic drugs, importing 78 parcels of narcotic drugs and establishing and promoting businesses related to narcotic drugs.

Their pleas were not taken and were remanded into Police custody. Their application for bail would be considered on August 18. Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), Mr Abicham Boye prayed the court to remand the accused persons to enable the Police to conduct further investigations into the matter.

The case of the Prosecution was that on November 25, 2005 a large quantity of cocaine was imported into the country on MV Benjamin, a vessel that docked at the Tema Harbour.

The Police had information about it and proceeded to the scene but discovered only one parcel of cocaine in the vessel.

Earlier in an application, Mr Alfred Agyei-Mensah, counsel for Kwadwo Ababio, argued that his client's name was only mentioned at a Committee sitting and was arrested. Mr Agyie-Mensah said Ababio was not connected to the offence and, "his arrest was on mere speculations. I wonder what kind of further investigations the Police was going to undertake". He, therefore, prayed the court to admit his client to bail adding: "My client had never jumped bail."

He indicated to the court that the Constitution had strengthened the hands of the court to grant bail.

Mr Mohammed Sani defence counsel for Acheampong, said his client only accompanied a friend saying, "nowhere is my client connected to the missing cocaine, it would be harsh to remand him."

The Minister of the Interior in June 2006 set up the Justice Georgina Woode Committee to investigate the suspected loss of parcels of narcotic drugs from the ship and allegations levelled against some Police Officers with respect to the seizure of narcotic drugs at East Legon in Accra.

The Narcotics Control Board (NCB), acting upon intelligence information that a ship on the high seas was suspected to be carrying narcotics drugs, intercepted the vessel on April 27, 2006 with the assistance of the Ghana Navy.

Officials of the NCB conducted a search on the vessel and discovered a leather bag containing 30 slabs of a whitish substance suspected to be cocaine. This was seized and taken to the headquarters for safekeeping.

"However, intelligence information indicated that originally, there were about 78 parcels in the vessel with each parcel containing 30 kilograms of cocaine.

This suggests that 77 parcels of cocaine each weighing 30 kilograms were taken out of the vessel just before it was intercepted, the Ministry said.

The Committee is to, among other things, find out the person or persons, who brought the parcels on board the vessel and determine the actual numbers of narcotic drug parcels on the vessel immediately before it was intercepted.

It would determine whether some of the parcels on board the vessel were removed from it before it was intercepted, and, if so, to establish when and how this happened and recommend appropriate punishment.

The Committee is also to determine the whereabouts of the parcels of narcotic drugs, if any, which were removed from the vessel and investigate any other issues relating to the loss of the narcotic drug and make recommendations on how to avoid them in future.