Drug courier jailed for dealing in drugs

Accra, June 20, GNA - A 46-year-old unemployed who swallowed 37 pellets of cocaine was on Tuesday sentenced to 10 years' imprisonment with hard labour by the Greater Accra Regional Tribunal.

Eric Goka, who swallowed the pellets for a fee of 1,500 Euro, pleaded guilty to possessing narcotic drugs without lawful authority and the court, presided over by Mr Justice Frank Manu convicted him on his own plea.

The case presented by Mr Frederick Boamah, an Assistant State Attorney, was that Goka, a Ghanaian domiciled in Holland on July 24 last year arrived at the Kotoka International Airport (KIA) on board a KLM flight to Holland.

He said, while Goka was going through departure formalities, personnel of the Narcotic Control Board suspected him of carrying drugs. Goka was therefore invited and sent to the 37 Military Hospital for an X'ray examination, which revealed that he had some foreign materials in his stomach.

The prosecution said Goka was put under surveillance for three days and he expelled 37 pellets of drugs.

In his investigation cautioned statement, Goka said the substance was given to him by one Kofi of Achimota to be given to one Pepra in Holland for a fee of 1, 500 Euro.

When the substance was sent to the Ghana Standards Board (GSB) for analytical examination the results proved positive of cocaine weighing 364.9 grammes.

In another case, the same tribunal sentenced a 43-year-old Nigerian unemployed to 10 years' imprisonment for swallowing 60 pellets of cocaine.

Tony Owuchakwa pleaded guilty.

Mr Boamah who prosecuted said on May 21, 2005, Owuchakwa arrived at KIA on KLM flight 590 to Switzerland.

Personnel of NACOB suspected him of carrying drugs and he was invited to the 37 Military Hospital where he expelled 60 pellets of drugs suspected to be cocaine.

Owuchukwa said he was carrying the drugs for a fee of 3,500 pounds sterling, adding that the drugs were given to him by one Yakubu to be delivered to someone at Geneva. GSB analysis of the drugs proved to be cocaine weighing 563.06 grammes.