Sima gave conflicting statements when arrested - Witness

Accra, May 26, GNA - A Police Officer of Narcotics Control Board (NACOB) on Wednesday narrated how Sima Ibrahim, Chief Executive Officer o f Exopa Modelling allegedly gave conflicting statements when he was arreste d. Samuel Anabah, a Detective Chief Inspector, said Sima explained that he (Sima) was contracted by a telecommunication firm to organise a modelling show. However, after the show, the company declined to pay him and was indebted and had to pay some clients.

Police Chief Inspector Anabah said Sima told him that the telecommunicat ion company promised to pay him 100,000 dollars but after the show he was onl y offered GH¢2,000. He said the fourth prosecution witness said Sima told operatives of NACO B that it was one Salifu who gave him the substances, bought the yams and handbag from porters on the Graphic Road.

Police Chief Inspector Anabah was testifying in the case of Sima being accused of allegedly attempting to export narcotic drugs and possessing narcotic drugs without lawful excuse. Sima has denied the charges, and been remanded into prison custody by an Accra Fast Track High Court. Police Chief Inspector Anabah said when the substances were sent to the Ghana Standards Board (GSB) and subjected to analytical examination, it prove to be cocaine. According to him the report disclosed that the substance weighed 4,943.6 77 grammes. Thereafter, witness tendered in court a black handbag in which 22 sliced and scooped yams containing the substance. Also tendered in evidence was a scrapper allegedly used to scoop the yam s, super glue and Sima's belongings, a German passport as well as Lufthansa air tickets. When asked by the prosecutor, Senior State Attorney George Kwadwo Ofori, how he got to know the accused, witness said on September 7, 2009, at abo ut 11:00pm, Sima together with some tubers of yam were brought to the NACOB office. According to witness he took investigation caution statement from the accused. Police Chief Inspector Anabah said Sima identified his handbag, the substances and they were sealed and endorsed by him. Witness told the court that information received based on a letter sent to Ghana Immigration Service indicated that Sima had between May 17, 2007 an d September 7, 2009 travelled 25 times with his German passport and once wi th a Ghanaian passport. Answering questions under cross-examination by Mr James Agalga, defence counsel, witness admitted that Sima was interrogated but was halted by hi s previous counsel, Mr Kwame Akuffo.

According to the witness, Mr Akuffo stated that he would not allow NACOB operatives to obtain statements that would be injurious to his client. Witness denied that as a result of Mr Akuffo's insistence, he was walked out of NACOB offices. Prosecution's case is that the accused allegedly concealed five kilogrammes of drugs suspected to be cocaine in some tubers of yam while travelling to Frankfurt, Germany, on September 7, last year. While going through departure formalities, officials of NACOB opened his luggage and found the tubers of yam cut and joined. When the yams were cut into pieces, the drugs were found concealed i n them. The prosecution said Sima claimed ownership of the drug claiming he was asked to give it to someone in Germany for a fee of 3,200 dollars. The case has been adjourned to Thursday, June 3, 2010.