'Barrister' remanded over alleged narcotic substances

An unemployed man who was found with two table tennis ball shaped drugs suspected to be Shisha concealed in a bag has been remanded by an Accra Circuit Court.

Habib Haruna aka “Barrister” charged with possession of narcotic drugs had his plea preserved.

The court presided over by Helen Ofei remanded him into Police custody to reappear on February 7.

The court however turned down a bail application by Mr. Yaw Dankwah counsel for the accused, saying the said substance is yet to be tested.

The court further directed the prosecution to procure the laboratory analysis within 30 days and the state to file its disclosures within 14 days.

Mr Dankwah prayed the court to admit his client to bail to enable him to prepare for his defence.

According to counsel, his client a petty trader has a fixed place of abode and when granted bail it would enable him to prepare for his defence.

He said there was no way his client was going to interfere with Police investigations.

Prosecuting Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Charles Chester prayed the court to remand the accused as the Police was forwarding the alleged substance to the Police Forensic Laboratory.

ASP Chester said the Police was conducting further investigations into the matter.

The Prosecution said the complainants are Police officers at the National Operations Unit of the Criminal Investigations Department.

Prosecution said Haruna is a resident of Kotobabi in Accra and on January 17, this year, at about 1430 hours, the complainants spotted accused and another on a motor bike.

He said the complainants stopped them but they sped off of which they then chased them up.

Prosecution said the accused’s accomplice escaped but Haruna was arrested and when he was searched, two table tennis ball shaped substances suspected to be Shisha concealed in a black polythene bag and GH¢300.00 were found.

He said Haruna then claimed ownership.