No show at NDC organizer cocaine trial

An Accra Circuit Court yesterday could not continue with the trial of the case involving the seven persons arrested over narcotics including the Lower Manya Krobo constituency youth organiser of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), David Tettey Kwame.

This was because the state prosecutor DSP Aidan Dery was indisposed although all the accused persons as well as their lawyers were present.

This is the second time the case has been adjourned at the instance of the prosecution.

It would be recalled that at the last sitting, the investigator in the case had said that the prosecution was yet to receive a report on the substance it had sent to the Ghana Standards Authority (GSA).

The court, presided over by Francis Obiri has however adjourned the hearing of the case until March 9, 2015.

The other accused persons are Derrick Appiah Kubi, clearing agent; Edwin Quincy Arthur, clearing agent; Nii Sai Ashley, clearing agent; Daniel Kofi Asare, loading boy; Fredrick Ato Hawkins, clearing agent; Samuel Anim Bediako, freight forwarder; David Tettey Kwame, freight forwarder and one Papa Yaw aka Fredrick Amoah, currently at large.

It is the case of prosecution, led by DSP Dery that the accused persons on December 16, 2014 at the Aviance Cargo Village at the Kotoka International Airport (KIA) in Accra, conspired and engaged in prohibited business relating to narcotics contrary to section 3(2) of the Narcotics Drugs Control (Enforcement and Sanctions) Law of 1990.

According to the prosecution, the accused person, without lawful authority, did undertake the activity for the purpose of promoting an enterprise relating to narcotic drugs by assisting to clear five parcels each containing about 1.2 kgs of heroin.

The facts as presented by DSP Dery are that the accused persons are clearing agents, except Kofi Asare who is a loading boy, and that the other six operate at the Aviance Cargo Village at the KIA.

He said Anim Bediako is the Managing Director of Clearfreight Shipping Agencies Limited in Tema, with an office at the Aviance Cargo Village where David Tettey Kwame, the NDC Youth Organiser, works.

DSP Dery stated that on the said date, Anim Bediako received instructions from Papa Yaw to clear three packages at the KIA for him and that Anim Bediako who also said he operates at KIA, delegated Kwame to clear the items.

He said David Tettey was said to have also contracted Appiah Kubi to clear the items on his behalf.

Prosecution further told the court that following a tip-off that an imminent shipment of drugs was destined for Ghana via the Air Cargo to Accra on December 9, 2014, officers from the National Counter Narcotics Centre (NCNC) in collaboration with their counterparts from the surveillance unit of the BNI, were detailed to conduct surveillance activities at the Aviance Cargo Village.

DSP Dery indicated that on December 10, NCNC officers identified three packages shelved on pallet R78 on E row at the Aviance warehouse but no one showed up to clear them.

The police officer said on December 11, Arthur was identified to have initiated the clearing processes, adding that he was successful in facilitating the movement of the packages from the holding shelf to the electronic security check point.

He said Appiah Kubi, Ashley and a host of others were observed as they conducted what seemed like a counter surveillance at the car park.

DSP Dery disclosed that the packages were left unattended till December 12 when Arthur returned with another person and spoke to some custom officials stationed at the warehouse and left with one of the custom officials to meet Ashley and three others at the main car park.

The prosecuting officer intimated that after sometime, on the same date, the three packages were removed from the electronic security check point to the customs examination area where Asare was seen to have cut the sewn edges of the packages, folded the edges again and used brown cello tapes to seal them.

DSP Dery stated that this was done apparently to make the packages appear as if they had been examined by customs, stressing that the packages were once again abandoned until December 16, 2014 when customs officials opened them for examination in the presence of Appiah Kubi.

The prosecutor said during the examination five heroin parcels, each weighing about 1.2kg, were identified to be concealed in the packages.

He averred that an on-the-spot test on the substance in the five parcels by NACOB officials at the Aviance Cargo Village proved positive for heroin.

DSP Dery said the five persons were subsequently arrested and brought to BNI to assist in investigations.

He said further investigations led to the arrest of Anim Bediako on December 24, last year and David Tettey Kwame on January 2, 2015 while Papa Yaw is currently on the run.