Nigerian trader jailed for dealing in heroine

A 26-year-old Nigerian Trader, Stephen Ediodze, who concealed 44 pellets of heroine in his shoes was on Monday sentenced to five years imprisonment by an Accra Circuit Court.

Ediodze who pleaded guilty to supplying narcotic drugs without lawful authority would in addition pay GH?120 fine and deported to Nigeria after serving his sentence.

The court presided over by Mr. Francis Obiri ordered that the substances should be destroyed within 30 minutes in the presence of the court’s registrar and clerk as well as the Police and prosecutor.

Cousel for Ediodize, Mr. George Asamaning prayed the court to tamper justice with mercy as the convict was only used, and as a first offender had regretted his actions.

The prosecution's case was that on October 3, 2011, at about 10:30pm, personnel from the National Highway Patrol Unit arrested Ediodze on the Accra Aflao road on board a Peugeot caravan with registration number TG 0394 S at Kpotame near Sogakope in the Volta Region.

He said the vehicle was involved in an accident but the accused bolted, and when the highway patrol team had the information chased him. When he was arrested and searched, 44 pellets of heroine were found concealed in his shoes.

During interrogation, Ediodze said he was a resident of Prato, Italy and arrived in Ghana on September 23, last year, with the intent of doing business in Africa.

The prosecution said Ediodze however travelled to Nigeria on September 25, last year, and collected the drugs from Chief Emeka in Nigeria and expected to supply them to someone in Italy for a fee.

It said when the drugs were sent to the Police Forensic Laboratory, it tested positive for heroine weighing 610.83 grammes costing about 22,000 Euros.**