More policemen in court over missing cocaine

Accra, Sept. 18, GNA - Two more policemen were on Monday put before an Accra Circuit Court over missing parcels of cocaine off-loaded from a fishing vessel, MV Benjamin.

General Sergeant Isaac Asante and General Lance Corporal Peter Bondorin are being held for abetment of crime. On September 12 this year, three Policemen, Detective Sergeant Yaw Samuel Amoah, General Sergeant Daniel Nyarko and Detective Lance Corporal Dwamena Yabson were put before the same court. They were said to have abetted with one Sheriff, alias "Limping man", to off-load quantities of cocaine from the ship in April 2006 at Kpone, near Tema.
So far five personnel from the Police have been arraigned in connection with the same offence.

The court did not take the pleas of the accused persons and remanded them in Police custody until September 25. General Sergeant Asante and General Lance Corporal Bondorin did not have counsel to represent them. Mr Alex Annor, Principal State Attorney, prayed the court to remand the accused to enable the police to conduct further investigations into the matter. According to him, a similar matter was before the court and prayed it to adjourn the case to September 25. In April this year, the accused persons were said to have abetted with Sheriff at Kpone Beach to take delivery of quantity of cocaine with the sole purpose of distributing them in Ghana without authority. Five persons are being tried in connection with the loss of 77 parcels of cocaine from the ship. The missing cocaine was a matter that was investigated by the Georgina Wood Committee set up by the Minister of the Interior. 18 Sept. 06