Crime & Punishment of Monday, 19 March 2012

Source: GNA

Three persons before court for allegedly possessing cocaine

Three persons alleged to be in possession of a quantity of whitish substance suspected to be cocaine worth $350,000 on Monday appeared before an Accra Circuit Court.

The accused persons, Kwaku Asiedu, 35, businessman, Nii Ayittey lomotey Tedy, 26, building engineer, and Osei Owusu Banahene, 39, trader, all pleaded not guilty to conspiracy to possess and possessing narcotic drugs.

They were remanded into prison custody to re-appear on Monday, April 2.

Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Kofi Blagodzi, prosecuting, said on March 3 this year that, the Madina Divisional Police Command had intelligence report that the accused persons were in possession of a whitish substance suspected to be cocaine and were soliciting for customers.

He said an undercover Police officer was detailed to feign interest in the deal while a team of detectives from the Madina Division were detailed to trail and assist the undercover officer.

DSP Blagodzi said the accused persons then communicated to the undercover officer that the quantity of the cocaine was worth $350,000 and that he should meet them at a place at Alajo for the stuff.

He said just as the undercover officer was removing the money from his car booth, with the accused persons nearby, with the cocaine in a rubber bag, the policemen moved in and arrested them.

The prosecutor said investigations were still on-going.**