General News of Tuesday, 13 February 2007

Source: GNA

Court orders release of property to Benjilo

Accra, Feb. 13, GNA - An Accra Fast Track High Court presided over by Mr Justice Victor Ofoe on Tuesday ordered the release of confiscated property to George Adu Bonsu, alias Benjilo.

Benjilo, who served a 10-year prison term for drug-related offences after being jailed in 1991, had sued the Inspector General of Police, Narcotics Control Board and Attorney General for the release of the property.

The court said the state did not open its defence and the order was being given based on evidence adduced by the plaintiff. The court asked the state to pay interest on 1.1 billion cedis being the cost of goods in two of his shops.

It also awarded 50 million cedis cost against the state and 80 million cedis damages for unlawful seizure of the property. The court noted that the property that had been seized did not belong to Benjilo but to Mrs Grace Adu Bonsu, his wife, Dennis Adu Bonsu, his son, Madam Yaa Konadu and Azumah Nelson.