Washing bay attendant gets five years over narcotic drugs

A Cape Coast Circuit Court has sentenced a 22 year old washing bay attendant to five years imprisonment in hard labour for possessing narcotic drugs.

The convict, Kwaku Mensah pleaded guilty to three counts of possessing narcotic drugs, unlawful entry and stealing and the Court presided over by Mrs Abena Amponsah Boansi convicted him on his own plea.

The convict is already serving a six month jail term after pleading guilty to unlawful entry and stealing, but the court deferred the sentence on the narcotic drugs pending a forensic test result of the substance found in his room.

Prosecuting, Chief Inspector John Asare Bediako told the Court that the first complainant, one Ms Esther Aidoo, a student of Jukwa Senior High School who lives at Brabedzi near Jukwa, whiles the second complainant, Mr. Kwabena Essuman a taxi driver also live in the same house with Ms. Aidoo and the convict.

He said on Wednesday 11, 2019 at about 0630 hours, Mensah broke into Ms. Aidoo’s room, stole her chop box containing provisions worth GHc 300.00 and a Techno Spark mobile phone valued GHc 500.00.

He said the convict later sneaked into 2nd complainant’s room and stole a quantity of clothing valued GHc150.00 and took to his heels.

Prosecution said the two complainants detected the crime on their return home and made a report to the police where the convict was traced and arrested.

He said a search conducted in the convict’s room revealed the stolen items which was then retrieved.

The Prosecution said quantity of compressed dried leaves suspected to be narcotic drug was also found in his room, where he however admitted committing the crime and told the Police the substance found was Indian hemp.

He said the exhibit of narcotic drug was forwarded to forensic laboratory for scientific test and the result proved positive as cannabis with a Net Weight of 467.66g.