Case involving British fugitive adjourned

An Accra Circuit Court has adjourned the extradition case involving British fugitive David McDermott to tomorrow.

The case was adjourned after the first witness, Detective Sergeant Mawuko Siaw of the Bureau of National Investigations, gave his testimony.

Forty-two-year-old David McDermott is wanted for his role in a conspiracy to import £71 million worth of cocaine into the UK in 2013.

He was arrested on March 11 in Accra upon an extradition request issued by the British High Commission to the Foreign Affairs Ministry of Ghana.

He was charged with illegal possession and dealing in narcotics, but pleaded not guilty when he appeared in court on March 14.

At the circuit court yesterday, lawyer for the accused, Victor Adawudu was given 10 minutes to confer with his client after he raised concerns of lack of access to his client.

State prosecutors moved a motion for the extradition of the accused based on a revised charge of conspiracy to supply cocaine and two other counts.

The witness explained to the court that on May 16, 2013, David and four others held a meeting at KFC in Liverpool UK and discussed the importation of the 400kg of cocaine that was intercepted in beef imported from Argentina.

“He said McDermott and his colleagues at the meeting discussed the possibility of using violence to retrieve the drugs,” Raymond reported.

He said the witness indicated that David had contact with his accomplices while living in Ghana.

A decision by Ghana to extradite him to the UK was justified by the Extradition Act 1960.

The court will decide on the extradition on the next adjourned date tomorrow, when the second witness will be called.