Tabloid News of Thursday, 28 March 2002

Source: Ghanaian Times

Drug trafficker offers $20 bribe

A narcotic drug trafficker, Theophilus Kwaku Djaben, who attempted to bribe a Customs Officer with 20 dollars at the Airport, in order to pass through customs checks with the stuff he was carrying has been arrested and placed in custody.

Djaben, who arrived in Accra from Addis-Ababa, where he was in transit from Bangkok, Thailand, had two Ghanaian Passports on him when he was nabbed. The first passport, bearing the name, Robert Afadu Aidoo, issued on 3 November 1977 with the number HO 193490 had the date of birth as 2 November 1967.

The second bore the name Theophilus Kwaku Djaben with the date of birth as 16 May 1973 and issued on 25 November 1997. According to a credible source, when Djaben arrived, he attempted to slip through “Nothing to Declare Zone" but a vigilant customs officer invited him for examination.

When he was asked to produce his traveling documents, he claimed that since he had a one-way ticket, the Airline officials had collected it from him. It was at this stage that he pulled out the 20 dollar bill and told the Officer that he should take it and allow him to go since he was tired after his long journey.

This raised the officer's suspicion and he referred him to his superior officer. Upon further examination, a powdery substance, suspected to be a narcotic drug, had been glued and concealed at the base of a false compartment of his traveling bag.