Cocaine Ship Crew plead not guilty

Accra, Dec. 8, GNA - The five-member crew on board the MV Benjamin/MV Adede, which was allegedly used in transporting the 77 parcels of cocaine to Tema, on Friday pleaded not guilty to charges preferred against them after their third appearance at an Accra Fast Track High Court.

They are Pak Bok Sil, a 46 year old Korean Engineer; Isaac Arhin, a 49-year-old sailor; Philip Kobina Bruce Arhin, a 47 year-old-mechanic; Cui Xing Li, a 44 year old Chinese sailor, and Luo Yin Xing, a 49-year-old sailor.

Isaac Arhin, Philip Arhin, Cui, and Luo are charged for possessing narcotic drugs without authority and engaging in prohibited business. Jospeh Kojo Dawson, the owner of the Vessel, who is being held for using his property for narcotic offence and Pak, held for engaging in prohibited business relating to narcotics also pleaded not guilty. The Court remanded them into Police custody to reappear on December 12.

On November 30, because three of the accused persons did not understand English language and could, therefore, not respond to their pleas the Court presided over by Mr Justice Anin-Yeboah ordered the Registrar to write to the Korean and Chinese Embassies to solicit the services of interpreters.

With the assistance of the interpreters the Court took their pleas. But Cui and Luo complained about their inability to pay for the services of lawyers and prayed the Court to seek some support from the Chinese Embassy in Ghana.

According to them they had money in China.

The Court, therefore, asked the Police Investigator to assist Cui and Luo find a way through which they could get some of their monies transferred to Ghana to engage lawyers.

The charge sheet says on February 6 2006 Dawson, who is also a businessman, indirectly without lawful authority and with the intention of facilitating an enterprise relating to narcotic drugs, did allow one Asem Darkei a.k.a. Sheriff to use his vessel (MV Benjamin/MV Adede) to import 77 parcels each containing 30 kilograms of cocaine into the country without a licence issued by the Minister of Health. Pak is also said to have repaired the MV Benjamin vessel to facilitate the transportation of the 77 parcels of cocaine from Takoradi to Tema.

Isaac, Philip, Cui and Luo on April 27, 2006, who were on board the MV Benjamin vessel, allegedly had in their possession one parcel containing 30 slabs of cocaine each weighing about one kilogram. The case was adjourned to December 12.