Media reports increase Goodies' blood pressure - Counsel

Accra, Nov. 12, GNA - Defence Counsel for Isaac Abeiku Aidoo, alias Goodies, on Wednesday pleaded with the media to give his client some respite since their reportage on the trial increases the blood pressure of the accused.

"I want the court to use its discretion to inform the media to give my client some respite because my client's pressure rises each time there was a publication," Mr. Oliver Atsu said. The counsel, who expressed concern about the media selective reportage, made the plea when he appeared before the court. Aidoo, charged with attempted exportation of 80 pellets of drugs suspected to be cocaine and possessing narcotic drug without lawful authority, has pleaded not guilty. He has been remanded into prison custody.

At the last sitting, Mr Atsu and his client were not present in court when the case was called. The prison officer, who escorted other remand prisoners could also inform the court why Aidoo did not appear in court.

The trial judge Mr. Mahamadu Iddrisu, however, commended the media for its important role. When the court, asked defence counsel to pin point the bad role the media was playing, counsel was unable to do that. Mr Paul Asibi Abarigah, an Assistant State Attorney, said he did not find any fault with the media since they reported what took place in court at the last sitting. Earlier the case was stood down for almost an hour because Goodies' counsel was not in court.

Mr Jerry John Abbew, a Narcotics Control Officer, the third prosecution witness, who mounted the witness box, identified Goodies in the dock. Mr Abbew said on April 23, this year, he was on duty at the Kotoka International Airport (KIA) Central Screening point when he saw Goodies going through departure formalities.

He said he invited Goodies and asked him questions related to information on his travelling documents. Mr Abbew said Goodies' answers did not convince him so with his consent he decided to conduct a urine test in a washroom. However, the witness said, Goodies was unable to urinate so he (Mr Abbew) further proposed an x-ray examination. Goodies, Mr Abbew said, agreed and he handed him over to Mr Anthony Smith, his Commander, for further action. According to witness, his commander also handed Goodies over to two other officers who escorted him to the 37 Military Hospital. Answering questions under cross-examination by Mr Atsu, the third prosecution witness denied accompanying Goodies to the 37 Military Hospital.

Mr Benjamin Kingsley Dadzie, also of the Narcotics Control Board, who was the next person to mount the witness box, said on April 23, this year, his commanding officer instructed him and Isshaq Bakore to escort Goodies to the 37 Military Hospital for an x-ray examination. He said the first x-ray examination conducted was inconclusive so a second one was performed and it proved positive that Goodies had foreign substances in his stomach. Mr Dadzie said he informed Mr Smith, his commander, verbally. Witness said he escorted Goodies to KIA under pretext that he was to board an airline and left behind Bakore to receive the final report on the x-ray examination.

Under cross-examination Mr Dadzie, the forth prosecution witness, admitted that he was present when the x-ray examination was conducted. He denied that he escorted Goodies to KIA to board a Ghana International airline.

The case, as presented earlier by the prosecution, was that on April 23 Aidoo arrived at the Kotoka International Airport at about 2245 hours to board a Ghana International Airlines flight to London. The prosecution said while going through departure formalities, operatives of the Narcotics Control Board suspected Aidoo of carrying drugs in his stomach. Aidoo was therefore escorted to the 37 Military Hospital for an x-ray examination, which revealed that he had some foreign materials in his stomach.

He was arrested and put under surveillance and he expelled 80 pellets of whitish substances suspected to be cocaine. During police interrogation, Aidoo said one Abdul Haid, a musician residing at East Legon, Accra, gave the drugs to him to be delivered to one Willie for a fee of 3,000 dollars. The prosecution said he, however, failed to lead the police to arrest Abdul. Meanwhile, the exhibit sent to the Ghana Standards Board for examination proved positive for cocaine. Hearing continues on November 20.