Crime & Punishment of Thursday, 29 September 2011

Source: GNA

Policeman arrested driving a vehicle loaded with Indian-hemp

Ho, Sept 29, GNA - Police General Constable Aniagyei Bonsu, stationed at the Keta Divisional Command, was on Wednesday arrested in uniform at the wheels of a Peugeot saloon car loaded with 60 parcels of dried leaves suspected to be Indian hemp.

Mr Alex Bedie, Volta Regional Police Commander, told journalists on Thursday that the arrest was made by the Drug Law Enforcement Unit at the Regional Command led by Mr Joseph Nakoja upon a tipoff.

He said the Unit encountered the vehicle at Sokode-Etoe, moving from Kpeve towards Ho and bound for Aflao.

Mr Bedie said the vehicle was flagged to stop and a search revealed the bread-like compressed parcels in the boot.

He said Ernest Akoto, a trader, who was in the vehicle with Bonsu claimed ownership of the vehicle.

Mr Bedie said the two confessed the parcels contained Indian-hemp being ferried from Kpeve to Aflao on contract for a Madam Jane for a fee.

The Police Commander said initial investigations indicated that Bonsu and Akoto, who were schoolmates at Akim Oda, met again at Ashaiman where Bonsu had been posted and continued to see each other frequently when Bonsu moved to Keta on transfer.

He said the two were engaged in transporting Indian hemp from Kpeve to Aflao and confessed the current round-trip, which turned sour, was the fifth.

Mr Bedie said the two had declined to show the place of supply and delivery of the leaves and also the identity of the said Jane.

Mr Bedie said Bonsu was interdicted within hours of his arrest on the orders of the Inspector General of Police.