Journalist arrested in Tudu drug swoop appears in court

Accra, April 26, GNA - A Circuit Court in Accra on Tuesday ordered the Police to investigate whether or not a journalist who was arrested during a raid at Tudu in Accra was there to conduct investigations into the drug menace.

The court also asked the Police to confirm whether Umar Graham-Mensah had worked with Narcotics Control Board and Mr Kofi Bentum Quantson, former National Security Co-ordinator and former Director of the Narcotics Control Board (NACOB).

He told the court that he had written extensively for the NACOB. Graham-Mensah and one Amartey Ocansey are facing the charge of possessing narcotic drug without lawful authority.

Graham-Mensah pleaded not guilty while Ocansey pleaded guilty with explanation, saying he was only waiting to be paid by a customer whom he claimed he worked for as a rubbish collector at Tudu. He said nothing was found on him but he was asked to join a vehicle of the Police after he had been searched.

Based on his explanation, the court presided over Mr Eric Kyei-Baffour entered a plea of not guilty for him. In the case of Graham-Mensah, he said he received a call from a lady who was seriously ill and he rushed to the place and bought some drugs for her. Graham said he sat on a bench in front of the pharmacy shop and fell asleep only to be tapped by a Policeman to get up. According to him he had worked with Mr Quantson. The case of the Police Chief Inspector was that on April 20, the accused persons were arrested at a base at Tudu during a raid by the military and police in a joint operation. The prosecutor said they were found sleeping in a room suspected to be a wee-smoking base where some wrappers of dried leaves were found. The court has remanded them into Police custody to reappear on May 11. 26 April 11