Nigerian trader jailed for dealing in drugs

Accra, March 29, GNA - A Nigerian trader, who expelled 64 pellets of cocaine after he was picked up by the security agencies at the Kotoka International Airport (KIA) in May last year was on Thursday sentenced to 10 years' imprisonment by the Greater Accra Regional Tribunal.

Titus Igwe Uwakwe, 31, pleaded guilty for attempted exportation of narcotic drugs without lawful authority and possession of narcotic drugs weighing 886.7 grammes and the court, presided over Mr Justice Frank Manu convicted him accordingly.

The court ordered that his sentence should commence from the day of his arrest and he should be deported after serving his sentence. It also ordered that the drugs be destroyed.

The case as presented by the prosecutor, Mrs Evelyn Keelson, State Attorney, is that on May 19, 2006 Uwakwe arrived at KIA to board Ghana International Airline flight to London.

The prosecution said as he was going through departure formalities, personnel of the Narcotic Control Board (NACOB) suspected him of carrying drugs hence picked him up.

Uwakwe was escorted to the 37 Military Hospital for examination where it was found that he had some foreign materials in his stomach. He expelled 64 pellets of whitish substances, which the Ghana Standards Board proved to be cocaine.

The prosecution said Uwakwe admitted ownership of the drugs saying they were handed over to him by one Michael and his wife Wendy in a hotel in Accra but he failed to lead the Police to where Michael and his wife were.