Driver jailed 10 years for dealing in drugs

Frank Adomu, a driver found with 298 slabs of compressed cannabis sativa concealed in 10 fertilizer sacks was on Tuesday sentenced to 10 years imprisonment by an Accra Circuit Court.

Adomu, who claimed he found the drugs weighing 208,495 grammes from an accident scene on the Accra-Ho Highway, took them away.

He pleaded not guilty to possessing narcotic drugs, however, when the case was called he changed his plea and was convicted on his own plea.

The court presided over by Mr. Francis Obiri, ordered that the exhibits should be destroyed within two weeks and if it were not destroyed immediately, it should be sent to the Head Office of the Judicial Service for safe keeping.

It took into consideration the plea of the accused, plea for mitigation by his counsel, the severity of the offence and rampant nature of the offence in the society.

The prosecution said on June 11, 2011, the police gathered intelligence report that Adomu was transporting narcotic drugs from the Volta Region to Abelemkpe in Accra for sale.

The Police therefore mounted surveillance at Abelemkpe and arrested one Savior Gakpo in the company of a Police informant.

Gakpo led the Police to arrest Adomu and one Lucky Kporto, who led the Police to Adomu’s room where the exhibits were found.

Adomu told the police that he found the bags of cannabis at an accident scene on the Accra-Ho highway, and when the exhibits were forwarded to the Police Laboratory, it tested positive for cannabis sativa.**