As quoted in the Section 5 of Narcotic Drugs Control Enforcement and Sanctions Act, 1990 PNDC Law 236, “a person shall not, without lawful authority or excuse, smoke, sniff, consume, inject into the body or otherwise administer a narcotic drug on the body of that person.” Unless there have been some unknown changes in the NDCEFS Act.
"We wish to state that all persons, whether visiting or native who does an act in contravention of the above quoted Act shall be dealt with in accordance with the law; as in the case of Chris Brown, a docket has been opened and we would want to assure the good people of Ghana that the police will do everything possible to get to the bottom of it", DSP Cephas Arthur, Director of Public Affairs at the Ghana Police Service emphasized in a statement released on March 11, 2013.
"Meanwhile, we are calling on the public to exercise patience, in the interest of due process and in respect of the rule of law, and provide the police with relevant information in support of the due process," the statement assured.
In the early hours of Wednesday (6th March, 2013), American RnB star, Chris Brown in a full glare of cameras threw caution and decorum to the wind and openly endorsed the smoking of Ghana’s banned and illegal substance ‘weed’ to the surprise of his audience while performing on RLG sponsored platform at the Hope City Concert-Accra Sports Stadium, a show that started on the eve of Ghana’s Independence Day.
After smoking, Chris Brown flew off the country amid huge media discussions, coupled with police promise and assurances, but has Ghana Police Service said or done anything about Chris Brown-‘weed’ saga-investigation after many months of his total disregard to the country’s law with impunity?
Initially, even the public knew the police were just blabbing since they have, in most instances, flopped investigating anything druggy, including the ‘Cocaine turned Konkonte powder’ and ‘confirmed Cocaine substance turned into sodium bicarbonate when the court took custody’, a few to mention.
It is ridiculous and indeed outrageous how the police administration pays lip service to matters relating to drugs and criminality in recent times.
Their typical defensive and fanciful assurances to the public usually result to nothing and it is imperative to mention that the agency (Police) have now become paper tigers instead of “an institution of action”.
Unlike issues on Cocaine, culprits caught smoking or possessing “weed” (Indian Hemp) are immediately hurriedly arraigned for court hearing without slight investigations, yet they face the full exactitudes of the law, spending at least 10 to 20 years imprisonment.
As reported by Ghana News Agency on March 26, 2009: “Farmer jailed 15 years for possessing 'wee'”. “The Juaso Circuit Court presided over by Mr. S. K. Sarpong Appiah, has sentenced a 28-year-old farmer to 15 years' imprisonment in hard labour for possessing narcotic drugs. Kwame Sasu Hayford pleaded guilty to the charge of possessing narcotic drugs without authority.”
It is now glaring that the several assurances made in the media on Chris Brown’s case was a PR gimmick and a knee-jerk reaction by the police to douse the raging flames at the time. I, therefore, dare the police administration to come public with their findings if indeed any investigations took place. Mr. IGP this is not an attack but a humble challenge to your outfit to come clean on Chris Brown’s ‘weed’ saga to help salvage the deteriorating image of police.
But, if Mr. IGP has too much on his hands, I guess he can delegate his able Director of Public Affairs, DSP Cephas Arthur to set the records straight. I rest my case!
Click to read stories before today’s 'Wee' saga: Chris Brown deserves 10 years imprisonment
Click to read stories before today’s Chris Brown paid $1m while breaking the law
Watch Chris Brown advice Ghanaians on Weed;