Businessman files for bail in wee case

Kofi Appainin Ennin a 46- year- old businessman who was nabbed for allegedly exporting cannabis sativa, a narcotic drug worth $ 20million to the United Kingdom (UK) has filed a bail application.

Mr Kwame Boafo Akuffo, his counsel told An Accra High Court on Thursday when the case was called.

According counsel, his client who is not in court, is sick and receiving treatment at the Ridge Hospital.

Mr Akuffo told the court that the bail application has been fixed for July 28 for hearing.

The court therefore adjourned the substantive matter to July 28.

The accused was arrested through collaboration between the UK security agencies and Narcotics Control Board (NACOB) when the drug had successfully left the shores of Ghana for the country.

Ennin has been charged with two counts of exportation of narcotic drug without licence from the Minister of Health and possession of narcotic drug without lawful authority.

He has pleaded not guilty and has been remanded into prison custody.

Earlier, Mr Fred K. Awindago, an Assistant State Attorney told the court presided over by Mr Justice Iddrisu Abdullai that, between January 15 and 29, last year at the Takoradi Harbour, accused exported from Ghana to the UK, 6,240kgs of the drug without license.

The prosecution said from January 15 and February 10, the accused, through the Takoradi Harbour again, exported three tonnes (3,000kgs) of the drug to the same country without authority.

According to the prosecution NACOB in 2014 received intelligence report from UK indicating that a 20-footer container numbered MSCU 0186777 had been intercepted.

The prosecution said the container was supposed to have 112 sacks of gari but was stuffed with compressed cannabis sativa (wee) weighing 6,240kgs.

The recipient of the said container mentioned the accused person as the one who exported the said cargo.

The prosecution said from January 15 and February 10, whilst investigations were underway, another 40-footer container numbered MORU: 1114371 was intercepted at London Gatwick, adding that the said container revealed 1,000 cartons of yam, 53 bags of gari and a total of 3,000kgs of compressed substance suspected to be wee concealed in the boxes of yam.

The prosecutor said documents covering the shipment were received and when the freight forwarder in Ghana was contacted, he mentioned Ennin as the one who assigned him to do the exportation on his behalf.

The prosecution said the freight forwarder led the investigator to the warehouse of Ennin at Asheyei along the Accra-Dodowa road where the packaging of the cargo was carried out.

He stated that surveillance was mounted at the warehouse and in the house of Ennin, indicating that on June 2, the accused person was lured from his hideout to the warehouse and he was arrested.

The prosecution said when Ennin’s warehouse was searched, a number of cardboards with the label, ‘Fresh Yam Products of Ghana,’ jute sacks and plain polythene material which were used in packaging the compressed cannabis were found in the boxes of yam.

During interrogation, Ennin mentioned one Jay as the owner of the substance, the prosecutor said.