Driver gets 13 years for possessing narcotic drugs

Kwame Ofori, a driver, was on Tuesday handed a 13 year jail term in hard labour for possessing narcotic drugs without lawful authority.

He was charged for possessing six large sizes of parcels and 109 compressed Bible sizes of dried leaves suspected to be Indian hemp.

Kwame, who pleaded not guilty to the charge, was, however, found guilty after full trail by the court presided over by Mr Aboaye Tandoh.

The court acquitted and discharged him on the charge of conspiracy, since the prosecution was unable to arrest his accomplices who are now at large.

Earlier the prosecution, Superintendent of Police Kweku Bampah said on August 29, 2015, at about 1640 hours, the Police Visibility Unit at the Ghana Police Service Headquarters during their normal routine duty at Adentan-Dodowa road intersection; a Hyundai Grace H100, driven by Kwame pulled up from the Dodowa direction.

He said the police signaled them to stop but the driver sped off.

The team pursued them to the SDA junction where the driver veered off to a rough road, put off the engine, removed the ignition key and escaped with his mate.

The prosecutor said the team conducted a search on the vehicle and found the above listed items.

Superintendent Bempah told the court that, the team reported the case to the Adentan Police.

The vehicle was towed with the exhibits to the charge office.

He said on September 3, 2015, Kweku was arrested, and in his caution statement stated that, the dried leaves belonged to one Dada and Alhaji Mustapha, now at large.

He also told the Police that the stuff was brought from the Akosombo area on a sprinter benz bus driven by one Amo Quaye, but the bus broke down on the road and he had to convey the stuff to its destination.