over use of visa and master cards- Court declares

Accra, Aug. 19, GNA - An Accra Fast Track High Court on Thursday ruled that there was no substance in the allegations raised by Ibrahim Sima, Chief Executive Officer of Exopa Modelling Agency, that his master and visa cards were being used although he was in remand.

This was after the court had received a report from the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) over allegations that someone was using the two cards.

On July 12 this year, Sima who is being held over drug related offence lamented to the court that his master and visa cards were being used by some people.

According to him, his wallet, which contained the two cards taken away from him by Mr. Anthony Smith, a Narcotic Control Board (NACOB) official were being used in Ghana.

Sima said his ex-wife told him and that had been confirmed by the German Embassy in Ghana.

"My Lord this is not fair", he remarked.

The court therefore ordered the CID to conduct investigations into those allegations and present its report.

Reading the out the report, the court noted it was rather his (Sima's) on line bank account that had been tampered with and not the two cards.

The court said the CID had therefore recommended that he should rather be charged with perjury.

Prosecuting, Mr. George Kwadwo Ofori, Principal State Attorney, said he was happy that the case investigator had been exonerated.

The court however ruled that the matter should take its course.

At today's sitting, Sima produced Professor Henry Augustine Brown-Acquaye, a drug analyst expert, to testify on his behalf.

Prof. Brown Acquaye, who is into inorganic chemistry, who took the court through the various components of analyzing drugs and substances, lamented over the Ghana Standard Board's report on the alleged substances found on Sima.

According to him, there was no indication of the equipment used, procedure adopted in conducting the test on the substance as well as utilization of any reference sample.

Led in evidence by Mr. James Agalga, defense counsel, Prof. Brown- Acquaye, an expert on drug and substance analyst, indicated the sample reference should have originated from the United Nations Laboratory.

He lamented over the analysis conducted by the GSB saying he was surprised that the sample was not sent to the Police Forensic Laboratory.

Answering questions administered by Mr. George Kwadwo Ofori, Principal State Attorney, Prof. Brown-Acquaye admitted that he was not present when sample was put before the GSB.

He also admitted that he had read the comprehensive report issued by the GSB on the substance.

Sima has been charged with attempting to export narcotic drugs and possessing narcotic drugs without authority but had denied the charges and he is on remand.

Prosecution's case was that the accused allegedly concealed five kilogramme's of drugs suspected to be cocaine in some tubers of yam while traveling to Frankfurt, Germany, on September 7, last year.

While going through departure formalities, officials of NACOB opened his luggage and found the tubers of yam sliced and joined.

When the yams were sliced, the drugs were found concealed in them.

The prosecution said Sima claimed ownership of the drug claiming he was asked to give it to someone in Germany for a fee of 3,200 dollars.

The case has been adjourned to October 6.