McDermott kicks against extradition to UK

Lawyers for the alleged British cocaine fugitive, David McDermott, have challenged the move by State prosecutors to extradite him to the United Kingdom to face trial.

They argue there is no extradition treaty between the UK and Ghana for which reason McDermott should be sent to face trial in the UK, adding their client has not been charged for any criminal offence whatsoever.

One of his lawyers, Victor Kodjoga Adawudu, told the court the charge of narcotics leveled against his client was not an offence under the extradition laws of Ghana for which his client must be sent to the UK for prosecution

“There’s nothing like narcotic drugs in the first section as the prosecution wants this court to believe. We are also aware that no magistrate in this country issued a warrant for the arrest of McDermott” he added.

He said thus prayed the court to try McDermott in Ghana since he was arrested here.

McDermott was arrested on March 11 this year, based on an extradition request issued by the British High Commission to the Foreign Affairs Ministry of Ghana for allegedly conspiring to import worth of cocaine into the United Kingdom in 2013.

Narcotic charges brought against him at an Accra Circuit court were withdrawn by the state last week without reasons.

It later also emerged that the suspect had been married for the past three years to the step-daughter of Ghana’s immediate past Governor of the Central Bank, Dr. Henry Kofi Wampah but the former governor issued a statement to deny knowledge of McDermott's involvement in drugs.