FDB to determine state of cow legs and hide in cocaine truck

Accra, June 19, GNA - An Accra Regional Tribunal on Thursday ordered the Food and Drugs Board (FDB) to check whether or not the cow legs and hide seized together with the 399 parcels of cocaine at Nsawam recently were wholesome.

This is to enable the police to dispose of them either by selling or destroying them. Between 0600 and 0700 on May 30, a team of policemen upon a tip-off mounted surveillance on a Mercedes Benz truck with registration number GT 3359 Z from Kumasi and a search uncovered 399 parcels of substances suspected to be cocaine concealed in an artificially created compartment.

Kwame Anane, a Ghanaian driver, Eugene Kofi Amewu, an unemployed Togolese and Valentine Kofi Deblui, a Togolese driver, are being held for conspiracy, possessing narcotic drugs without authority and importation of narcotic drugs without authority. The court did not take their pleas. The order came after the Police had prayed the tribunal to order the FDB to find out if the hide and cow legs among the 399 parcels of cocaine could be disposed of. According to the police the cow leg and hide were perishable and would need to be disposed of. Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), Mr. Paul Kissi Frimpong further told the court that, the Police were still investigating the case.

He said if the cow legs and hide were found to be unwholesome, the Director of the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) and the FDB would supervise their destruction. Mr. Frederick Boamah, who represented the three accused persons, complained about the manner in which his clients were being treated and prayed the court to direct the Police to send the accused persons to the hospital since they were sick.

Mr. Boamoah further prayed the court to direct the Police to allow him to get access to his clients. He drew the court's attention to the fact that the vehicle used by the accused belonged to a limited liability company, which had been registered at the Registrar-General's Department. "I know those who registered the company are not ghosts, they are there and they could be arrested." Counsel further asked the court to order the police to take pictures of the exhibits or a video for evidential purposes before they were disposed of saying this was crucial to the trial. The tribunal has remanded the accused persons into prison custody and adjourned the matter to July 17.