Accra, Nov. 17, GNA - Four hundred and sixteen (416) kilogrammes of cocaine seized by the Police at Ataabadze Junction, near Cape Coast two years ago, was on Wednesday burnt into ashes in Accra following a court order.

The Fast Track High Court order came after the drug had been tendere= d in evidence by Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Bernard Ananga, t= he investigator. Soon after the cocaine with the street value of 29.9 million dollars= , hidden among cow hide, had been tendered in evidence, the prosecutor, Chi= ef State Attorney Ms Valerie Amate, prayed the court that it should be destroyed.

The court therefore ordered that the destruction should take place behind the Independence Square in the presence of the officials of the Gh= ana Standards Board, security agencies, the Registrar of the Court, the prosecution and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). A clerk of the court is expected to furnish the court with a report on the destruction. Four persons arrested in connection with the drugs have been charged=

with conspiracy to commit crime and possessing narcotic drug without lawf= ul authority.

Samuel Agoe Mills Robertson, a 49-year old auto mechanic and driver,=

last year pleaded guilty to the charges and was sentenced to 15 years' imprisonment by the court. Charles Lartey, one of four accused persons, was admitted to bail in=

the sum of GH¢50,000 with a surety and to be reporting to the Police tw= ice in a week.

Derrick Armah Kwarteng, a 49-year old contractor and David Agyemfra,=

alias Chuku Owura, a 30-year old herbalist, have since been on remand. The facts are that on June 28, 2008, Kwarteng contracted Robertson t= o cart cocaine from Asankraguaa in the Western Region to Accra for a fee of=

40,000 dollars and he agreed. The prosecution said Robertson therefore recruited two people, Agyem= fra and Mike Eben, as escort for the drug. On that same day, Robertson used h= is Toyota Saloon car with registration number GW 31 Z and conveyed Agyemfra and Eben to Asankraguaa where they met Kwarteng at a hotel. Kwarteng also handed over a four-wheel drive vehicle with registrati= on number GR 1204 Y loaded with travelling bags each containing 20 slabs totalling 380 slabs of suspected cocaine to Robertson and his escorts. Robertson drove the consignment with Agyemfra and Eben, who were on board= , as security to Takoradi where they stayed overnight. The prosecution said the Cape Coast Highway Police Patrol team intercepted the vehicle, which had on board Robertson, Kwarteng and Agyemfra. However, Agyemfra and Eben escaped into the bush but the police=

arrested Robertson. When a search was conducted it was found that the travelling bags contained 20 slabs each of whitish powdery substance suspected to be cocaine.

The prosecution said during police interrogation Robertson offered t= he Police 6,000 dollars in order to free him. Robertson therefore called Lar= tey who was in Accra to bring the amount but as soon as he arrived the Police=

arrested him. Agyemfra and Kwarteng were spotted in a saloon car near the Police Station where Robertson was and they were also arrested. Robertson further told the Police that the drug belonged to Kwarteng=

but he has denied it.