Crime & Punishment of Saturday, 3 September 2011

Source: Fidelia Achama

Another Suspect Nabbed Over NACOB Cocaine Deal

Exactly a week after ten Narcotics Control Board (NACOB) officers and a suspected cocaine dealer were arraigned in connection with abetting drug barons to ply their trade, another suspect, Alex Kofi Adjei, an estate agent, has been arraigned for the same offence.

The accused person was put before the Accra Circuit Court presided over by Judge Eric Kyei Baffuor where the 10 NACOB officers are being tried.

He was charged with abetment of crime relating to the exportation of narcotics but his plea was not taken.

The facts of the case were not read out in court but it is believed that he is one of the beneficiaries of the alleged disreputable activities of the NACOB officers who were busted a few weeks ago.

He has been remanded in police custody while the case has been adjourned to September 9, to be tried with the others.

Ten NACOB officers were last week hauled to court for allegedly abetting a drug suspect, Edward Macauley to import narcotic drugs to America and other European countries.

This was after Fatima Abdulai, one of the officers, made startling revelations during her arrest about the activities of her colleagues in aiding suspected drug barons to export and import narcotic drugs over the years.

The others are Dennis Adutwum Gyimah, Yakubu Issaka, Timothy Aboloimpo, Abubakari Nallah, also the boss of Tudu Mighty Jets Football Club, Peter Asong, Mutawakilu Yahaya Iddi, Jerry John Kwesi Abbiw, Eric Darko Akuffo and Nana Zamsah Evrah.

They pleaded not guilty to the charge of abetment of importation of narcotic drug contrary to Narcotic Drugs Control Sanctions Law and have been remanded in police custody while the case was adjourned to September 9, 2011.

Counsel for the accused persons, Carl Adongo, James Abeaduka, Dr. Kweku Nsiah and Kwame Akuffo, applied for bail for the accused persons but the judge declined, saying that as the prosecutor, Boye Abicham, had indicated that the matter was still under investigation, it would be prudent to have them remanded.

Narrating events leading to the arrest of the accused persons, Supt. Boye Abicham told the court the suspects were NACOB operatives stationed in Accra.

He said some of the officers had worked or were still working at the Kotoka International Airport (KIA) between 2009 and 2011, where they were supposed to be checking and arresting passengers carrying narcotic drugs.

Sometime in July 2011, a narcotic drug suspect, Edward Macauley, who lives the United States of America (USA), was arrested at Dansoman, and during investigations, text messages reportedly received from one of the suspects, Fatima, was found on the cell phone of the suspect.

The superintendent noted that the text revealed that Fatima was working with the procurement Unit of NACOB and some of her colleagues had been aiding suspects and other drug dealers to import and export narcotic drugs through KIA.

The police officer stated that the NACOB lady was arrested and upon interrogation, admitted to the offence and mentioned the other suspects who had compromised their position and allowed drug couriers safe passageway, after receiving various sums of money from the drug dealers.

Investigations are in progress