Two remanded over cocaine and heroin

Accra, Jan. 23, GNA - Two persons on Monday appeared before an Accra Circuit Court for allegedly dealing in drugs.

Hamza Mohammed, 20, is being held for possessing 46 wrappers of cocaine and 14 wrappers of heroine while his accomplice Kweku Bagnada, 35, is being charged for supplying narcotic drugs without lawful authority.

They have pleaded not guilty and the court presided over by Mrs Audrey Kocuvie-Tay remanded them into police custody to reappear on February 6.

Meanwhile, Mohammed had told the court that Bagnada was not the supplier of the drugs and that because he was tortured by the Police he mentioned the name of Bagnada so the Police could stop the torture.

Mr George Asamaning, counsel for Mohammed argued that Bagnada was not an accomplice of his client.

He said when the Police went to search the house of Bagnada, they only saw pieces of papers.

“No drugs were found on Bagnada. If someone is arrested over pieces of papers, then teachers and workers in printing houses would all be arrested because they use papers a lot,” counsel said.

Mr Asamaning said the facts did not support the charges and therefore prayed the court to admit Bagnada to bail.

When the case investigator was called by the court, he indicated that it was some special papers that were found on Bagnada.

Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Charles Abadamlora told the court that on December 20, last year, the Police Highway Patrol Team stopped a vehicle with registration number GT 76 28 C at La Aplaku.

During a search, 46 wrappers of cocaine and 14 wrappers of heroine were found wrapped in a polythene bag hidden in the pocket of Mohammed, a businessman.

When he was quizzed, ASP Abadamlora said Mohammed told the Police he was sent by a certain whiteman and mentioned Bagnada as his source.

A team of Policemen met Bagnada at Tema Community Nine where he led the Police to his house and two weighing scales scissors and papers were found.

The substances were also forwarded to the Ghana Standards Authority for examination and on January 18, this year, results of the test indicated that the substances were cocaine and heroin, all weighing 6,487 grammes.