General News of Monday, 17 September 2007

Source: GNA

Another Drug Courier Acquitted

Accra Sept.17, GNA - A 30-year-old Nigerian labourer who was arrested at the Kotoka International Airport (KIA) for allegedly swallowing two pellets suspected to be drugs two years ago was on Monday acquitted and discharged by the Greater Accra Regional Tribunal.

The court in its judgement said the prosecution had not been able to prove the charge of attempted exportation of narcotic drugs without the licence of the Minister of Health levelled against Alexander Hubert. It therefore found Hubert not guilty.

Earlier, the report issued by the Ghana Standard Board indicated that the two pellets were cotton wool, which contained no drugs.

The case of prosecution was that on April 27, 2005, Hubert was arrested at KIA while going through departure formalities in order to board a flight out of Ghana.

Hubert was suspected to be carrying some foreign materials in his stomach. When he was put under observation, he expelled two wrappers of substances suspected to be narcotic drugs.

The pellets which were sent to the GSB for analytical examination were found to contain cotton wool.