Two jailed for possessing narcotic drugs

The Takoradi Circuit Court on Friday sentenced James Obeng, a small scale miner and Nicholas Ntamah, a porter, to 10 years imprisonment in hard labour, each, for possessing narcotic drugs without authority.

The accused persons, who are both residents of Tarkwa, pleaded not guilty.

Police Chief Inspector Felix Danku told the Court presided by Judge Charles Banford Nimako that, at about 6.00 a.m. on July 4 last year, the Drug Law Enforcement Unit at Sekondi had a tip off that some young men were dealing in narcotics at the Tarkwa Railway Station.

He said the unit mobilized Police personnel and went to the station where they saw young men in their “Wee ghettoes”.

Chief Inspector Danku said the young men took to their heels on seeing the Police but the accused persons were arrested.

He said 31 wrappers and a quantity of Indian hemp were found on Obeng and 68 wrappers on Ntamah during a search on them.

Chief Inspector Danku said the accused persons claimed ownership of the Indian hemp in their caution statements to the Police.

He said the exhibits were wax sealed in the presence of the accused persons and forwarded to the Police Forensic Laboratory in Accra for examination.

Chief Inspector Danku said the report from the laboratory said the exhibits were cannabis weighing 96 grammes and 105 grammes respectively.