I was compelled to engage in drugs - Convict tells Tribunal

Accra, Sept. 12, GNA - A Ghanaian domiciled in Italy, Abraham Otibah was on Wednesday sentenced to 10 years imprisonment in hard labour by the Greater Accra Regional Tribunal after pleading guilty to possessing 1,387.1 kilogrammes of cocaine.

Otibah was said to have swallowed 115 thumb size capsules of cocaine claiming that they were to be delivered to one Alhaji in Italy for a fee of 4,000 Euros.

Narrating to the tribunal how he got himself entangled in the drug business, Otibah said he had been working in Italy until he suffered some injuries to his palm.

He said as a result he could not work with his palm and his attempt to secure his insurance proved futile as his employers dismissed him for taking the matter to court.

Otibah said he became unemployed and a friend deceived him to engage in the drug business. He therefore pleaded with the court deal leniently with him.

The court rejected his explanation and convicted him on his own plea.

Otibah had pleaded not guilty but when the case was called, he changed his plea to guilty.

Ms Stella Arhin, an Assistant State Attorney, told the court that Otibah arrived at the Kotoka International Airport in February to board a Lufthansa flight to Italy.

The prosecution said as he was going through departure formalities, personnel of the Narcotics Control Board (NACOB) suspected he was carrying drugs.

Preliminary investigations showed that he had some foreign materials in his stomach so he was sent to the 37 Military Hospital where an X-ray examination was conducted. Otibah expelled 115 thumb-size capsules and said they were given to him by one Nana to be given to one Alhaji for a fee of 4,000 Euros.