Tribunal Orders Destruction Of Seized Heroin

About 12.9 kilogrammes of heroin were yesterday burned in the full glare of the public on the orders of the Greater Accra Regional Tribunal. Mr. Justice Samuel Frank Manu, the presiding judge, representatives of the Narcotics Control Board, Attorney-General's Department and the media were among those who witnessed the burning at the precincts of the regional tribunal. Prior to the burning an official of the Narcotics Board tested the substance to see if it was indeed heroin and it tested positive.

The heroin was seized from Kwabena Ankoma-Darko and his wife, Mamaa Ankoma-DArko after they had attempted to smuggle it to the United States of America on July 10, 2004.

The couple were arrested at the last security check point when they were scheduled to board a flight to the USA. Upon his arrest, Ankoma-Darko claimed that it was a friend of his, Jerry Amoa who gave the drugs to him to deliver to someone in the USA for a fee of 10,000 dollars. The drugs had been concealed in two false compartments of the couple's hand luggage. The prosecution has concluded its case and the tribunal is awaiting the opening of defence by counsel for the accused.