Farmer remanded for cultivating cannabis

A 67-year-old farmer, Emmanuel Dzogbeta, was on Wednesday remanded by an Accra Circuit Court for cultivation of plant for narcotic purposes and possession of narcotic drugs.

Emannuel, was said to have cultivated 32 acres of plant material suspected to be Cannabis and also had in his possession one and a half maxi fertilizer sacks of dried leaves suspected to be cannabis.

He pleaded not guilty to the charges but was remanded by the court to reappear on March 27.

The facts of the case, as presented by the Deputy Superintendent of Police, (DSP) Aidan Derry are that, the DLEU and CID Headquarters, acting on intelligence that there is a cannabis farming syndicate operating in a village called Avega, a suburb of Ando in the Hohoe Municipality, dispatched a team of detectives to the area on a search, arrest, locate and destroy operation on February 2.

He said on February 20, the team arrived in the village and discovered the existence of large tracts of cannabis farms, widely stretched along the banks of River Dayi.

He said however, the team at the farm was able to destroy about 50 acres out of an estimated 150 acres of the cannabis farm discovered.

The team after destroying part of the farm also retrieved five water pumping machines used by the farmers to irrigate their farms; two weed killer spraying machine and one watering can.

The prosecution told the court that on March 4, the team went back to Avega after gathering intelligence that the accused person, one of the farmers, who absconded on hearing of the police presence at the village, had resurfaced.

He said Emmanuel was arrested in his room whilst sleeping at about 0330 hours and a search conducted revealed one and a half fertilizer sacks of dried leaves suspected to be cannabis.

DSP Dery said a further search conducted also revealed three weed killer machines and two weighing scales.

On interrogation and in his investigation caution statement, he admitted the offence and stated that he owned part of the farm that was destroyed, but failed to disclose the identities of his accomplices in the cannabis farming.

He told the court that the accused person also identified and claimed ownership of one of the pumping machines retrieved from the farm and stated that he bought it for GH¢1,200.00.

The prosecution said the exhibits have been forwarded to the Ghana Standards Authority for examination and report, while investigations continue.