Burkinabe drug couriers jailed for drug trafficking

Accra, July 10, GNA - Two Burkinabes were on Tuesday sentenced 10 years' imprisonment each in hard labour by the Greater Accra Regional Tribunal for possessing narcotic drugs without lawful authority. Monni Musa, a 27 year-old trader and Guebre Karim, a 34-year-old artisan, both arrived at the Kotoka International Airport around 0130 hours on September 9, 2006 to board an Alitalia flight to Italy. Both pleaded guilty and were convicted on their own pleas. The two are to be deported after serving their sentences. The tribunal presided over by Mr. Justice Frank Manu also ordered that the drugs should be destroyed.

The two convicts said the drugs had been given to them by one David to be given to one Kwame in Italy.

Musa said he was to have delivered the drugs for a fee of 4,000 Euros while Karim said his fee was 5,000 Euros. They both failed to show the police where David stayed.

According to the prosecution, Musa concealed more than 100 thumb-sized pellets of cocaine on him in order to outwit security personnel.

Mr Augustines Obuor, a state attorney who prosecuted, said while Musa was being searched during pre-boarding formalities, 50 thumb-sized pellets concealed in his pants were found. He also had 40 pellets in his right pocket and 20 in his left pocket. In the case of Karim aviation security suspected him of carrying drugs because of his demeanour and picked him up.

When his handbag was searched 109 pellets of a whitish substance were found.