Kumasi, March 23, GNA - Eleven suspected drug peddlers who were arrested at different locations in the Kumasi metropolis for allegedly possessing large quantities of dried leaves and substances suspected to be Indian hemp and cocaine, were refused bail when they were arraigned in a Kumasi circuit court on Wednesday. They were remanded in prison custody to re-appear on March 29. They are Sampson Awuni, Laminu Mohammed, Osumanu Musah, Abubakari Sadiq, Nana Sarpong, Kwasi Anokye and Abass Moro. The rests are Yahuza Mohammed, Kwadwo Sammy, Abdul Razak and Sumaila Mohammed.

The court upheld a plea by the prosecution not to grant bail to the suspects since the police were still screening them and testing the substances. Counsel for the suspects had earlier pleaded with the court to grant them bail since it was against their fundamental human rights to have been kept in custody since March 2, this year when they were arrested.

In refusing bail, the court, presided over by Mr Ernest Yao Obimpeh noted that it took cognisance of the fact that the case was a delicate one as the police needed to do extensive investigations to ascertain the authenticity of the substances. Police Chief Inspector Matthew Asante told the court that the accused persons were arrested at Akwatialine, Yelwa and Asem, all in Kumasi during special exercise by the police to flush out drug peddlers and traffickers in the early part of this month.