Alleged drug thieves in Court

Accra, Oct. 20, GNA - Two employees of a pharmaceutical company, who allegedly stole assorted drugs worth 463.8 million cedis belonging to the company on Thursday appeared at an Accra Circuit Court charged with conspiracy and stealing.

James Omaboe, a labourer and James Laryea, an errand boy at Sharp Pharmaceuticals Limited, pleaded not guilty and were admitted to 500 million cedis with a surety each.

Yaw Issaha, a sales boy, Prince Danso, Lawrence Darko, Yaw Baah Dankyi, Kofi Boamah and Dennis Alabi, chemical sellers, who were charged with dishonestly receiving the drugs, also pleaded not guilty. They were admitted to bail sums ranging from 10 million cedis and 100 million cedis. They are to re-appear on October 26. The case as presented by Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) George Abavelim was that on September 28 , the Company took stock and detected the theft of various drugs.

The Company, therefore, alerted its customers in Accra and Kumasi. The following day, the Company had information that some of their products were on the market at cheaper prices and without their hologram.

The Prosecution said the Company informed those who gave it the information to purchase some of the drugs and asked those who were selling the drugs to return later for their money. The Police then arrested Issah when he came for his money. When Issah was interrogated he mentioned Laryea, who in turn also mentioned Omaboe as his accomplices.

Omaboe and Laryea told the Police during interrogation that anytime they went to supply customers with drugs, they hid some behind a fence, which they later sent to a house at Adabraka from where Laryea went for them to supply to his customers.