Nigerian woman remanded for possessing narcotic drugs

Accra, Feb. 4, GNA - A 44- year-old Nigerian woman, who was arrested at the Kotoka International Airport (KIA) for swallowing 60 pellets of drugs suspected to be cocaine was on Wednesday remanded into prison custody by an Accra Circuit Court.

Margaret Etim Sunday has been charged provisionally for importing and possessing narcotic drugs without lawful authority. The court presided over by Mr Anthony Oppong did not take Sunday's plea.

She is to re-appear on February 18.

Prosecuting, Mr Anthony Gyambiby, Chief State Attorney said Sunday was brought before the court for a remand warrant to be issued to keep the suspect in lawful custody while she assisted in investigations.

Mr Kwabena Mensah, Counsel for Sunday, said the Court should not allow itself to be used as machinery for the Prosecution as this was not done in Ghana and, therefore, prayed the court to grant Sunday bail.

The Court in its ruling considered the premature nature of the case and investigations being carried out and adjourned the matter.

The case for the Prosecution was that on January 29, this year, the suspect, a Nigerian arrived at KIA on board United Arab Emirates flight. On the same day, personnel of the Narcotic Control Board who were on their usual rounds spotted the suspect behaving unusually.

The security personal followed Sunday and sent her to the 37 Military Hospital where an X-ray was conducted on her and it was detected the suspect had 60 pellets of heroine in her belly. She expelled the pellets, which were sent to the Ghana Standards Board for examination.