Accra, Sept. 29, GNA - An Accra Regional Tribunal on Monday granted three persons charged with concealing 48 kilograms of cocaine in sacks of rice in a 20 foot container 300 million cedis bail each. Joseph N. W Abueze, Self Employed, David K Anim, Shipping Agent and Macdonald Chimandas Vasnani, Freight Forwarder, have been asked by the Tribunal chaired by Mr Justice P. K. Aggrey to report to the investigator in charge of the case every Monday until the case was disposed of. The three have been charged with three counts of importation and possessing narcotic drugs without authority and abetment of crime. Their pleas were not taken.

Granting them bail, the tribunal was of the view that the offence under which they have been charged did not fall under those offences for which bail should be refused. It said though the granting of bail was discretional, the Prosecution could not establish grounds under which bail must be refused. Earlier their counsel had argued that bail should be granted to their clients, as bail could not be refused under the offence the accused were charged and that they had never interrupted Police investigations when they were on Police enquiry bail.

According to the Prosecution, following information sent to the Narcotics Control Board (NACOB) on the consignment by Customs Liaison Officers in Lagos, the Board in collaboration with HM Customs in the United Kingdom, mounted joint Control Delivery Operations to track the accused persons. A 20-foot container on board a vessel called Walurundi loaded with sacks of rice arrived at the Tema Port on September 15. Earlier an inspection by UK customs at Felixstowe, where the ship had docked revealed that 48 kilograms of cocaine had been concealed among the sacks of rice. NACOB, therefore, mounted surveillance on the vessel and the container and investigations uncovered that the consignee of the sacks of rice was Bernac Supplies of Cantonments, Accra. The case has been adjourned to October 21.