VICTOR BATURE Gaiya, a student of Wisconsin University, yesterday pleaded guilty to a charge of possessing narcotic drugs at an Accra Circuit court. The accused person, in the company of some friends who are also standing trial on others charges, was allegedly caught red handed with 35 pieces of substances suspected to be cocaine by some police and soldiers at Amanfrom checkpoint in Accra.

The accused, when charged with possessing narcotic drug at the court presided over by Eric Kyei Baffuor, pleaded guilty.

Gaiya and his friends, Joseph Oppong-Mensah, unemployed, Foster Ahoentsu Mawuli, driver, Daniel Egbe Ntui, student and Innocent Commander, cleaner, were jointly charged with two counts of possessing firearms without authority and carrying an offensive weapon without authority.

Joseph Oppong was additionally charged with abetment of crime. They all pleaded not guilty to the charges, except Foster who admitted possessing firearms. The judge however deferred sentencing of Gaiya and Foster to September 26, 2011 to enable the prosecutor, ASP Reindorf Agyemang, to make some corrections on the charge sheet.

The prosecutor, presenting the facts, disclosed that the complainants are members of the Ghana Police and Armed Forces who were performing their duties at Amanfrom Checkpoint.

Gaiya and Egbe Ntui are students of Wisconsin International University and staying in a room at the TF Hostel at Legon.

He also explained that all the accused persons are friends.

ASP Agyemang narrated that on September 7, 2011 at about 12:30 am, while the complainants were performing their normal duties, a Honda Accord saloon car with registration number GE 4699-10, coming from Kasoa direction, arrived with the accused persons on board.

The prosecutor said when the officers subjected them to a search, 35 pieces of substance suspected to be cocaine wrapped in a paper were found on Gaiya. The officers also allegedly found one locally-manufactured pistol, a B.B cartridge and a knife in the car.

The accused persons were taken to the police station for interrogation.

According to the prosecutor, during interrogations, Gaiya claimed the narcotic drugs belonged to him. Joseph allegedly claimed the knife was his while Foster also allegedly said the locally-manufactured pistol and cartridge belonged to him.

The prosecutor said when the officers conducted a further check at their homes, 16 sachets of dried leaves suspected to be Indian hemp were found in Gaiya’s wardrobe. Another quantity with two pairs of scissors and a knife were found on a tray in the room. However, when he was questioned as to how he got them, Gaiya allegedly mentioned Joseph as the owner of the dried leaves. Joseph on the other hand denied giving Gaiya the suspected Indian hemp.