Palm Soup Cocaine Case: Akyempimhene goes to court

An Accra Regional Tribunal last Wednesday adjourned to March 13, 2007 to start the trial of, the Akyempimhene of Agogo Traditional Area in the Ashanti Region, Nana Kwame Bonsu, who was arraigned before the court for allegedly concealing a substance believed to be cocaine in three tins of a locally canned soup called 'Nkulenu palm base'.

The adjournment was due to the absence of the prosecutor in court, after the investigator handling the case Stephen Badu, informed the court that they had finished with their investigations and would like the case to commence trial.


The accused person, Nana Bonsu, known in private life as Toddy Osei Bonsu, whose plea has not yet been taken by the court, was made Akyempimhene of Agogo barely seven months ago.


He is facing charges of attempted exportation and possession of narcotic drugs contrary to the laws of this country.


Nana Bonsu was arrested on the night of December 7, 2006 at the Kotoka International Airport (KIA) while going through departure formalities to board a KLM flight to Amsterdam.

The accused person, who is a Ghanaian resident in Amsterdam, was picked at random to be searched by officials of the Narcotics Control Board. Three tins of Nkulenu Palm base, found in his luggage, were opened and the contents found to be substances suspected to be narcotics drugs. The substances were field-tested and proven to be cocaine.


The substances had since been sent to the Ghana Standards Board (GSB) for further examinations to be conducted.


During interrogation, the accused person said he received the items from one Aunty Serwah to be given to her brother in Amsterdam.