Businessman held over

Accra, July 28, GNA - Kofi Appainin Ennin a 46- year- old businessman who was nabbed for allegedly exporting cannabis sativa, a narcotic drug worth $20 million to the United Kingdom (UK) was on Tuesday admitted to bail.

Ennin was admitted to bail in the sum of one million Ghana cedis, with two sureties each to be justified by an Accra High Court.

The court presided over by Mr Justice Abdulai Iddirisu, ordered Ennin to report to the Police every Tuesday and Thursday pending the outcome of the matter.

The trial judge further ordered him to deposit all travelling documents to the custody of the Court's Registry and adjourned the matter to October 12.

Ennin, charged with two counts of exportation of narcotic drug without license from the Minister of Health and possession of narcotic drug without lawful authority, has pleaded not guilty.

Granting him bail, the trial judge said he had read through all the processes before the court, and had not seen any affidavit in opposition filed by the state.

'The Police investigator in charge of the case is also not in court to assist, as the case before me bothers on human rights,' the court declared.

The court noted that, a medical report produced in court points to the fact that Ennin's heath condition was deteriorating and he had since June 23, this year not been brought to court.

According to the court the accused has been admitted at the Police Hospital because of his inability to breathe properly among other things.

Since the accused person's health was deteriorating, it would be useful for the court to grant him bail on humanitarian grounds.

Defence Counsel for Ennin, Mr Kwame B. Akuffo, who moved the motion for bail stated that his client was diabetic and needed urgent medical attention.

According Mr Akuffo, his client once collapsed at the Nsawam Medium Security Prisons and he was sent to the Police Hospital and after a scan had been taken, it came to light that there were some disorders in the mind.

Defence counsel contends that the environment that his client found himself was not favourable to his health condition.

Ennin was arrested through collaboration between the UK security agencies and the Narcotics Control Board (NACOB), when the drug had successfully left the shores of Ghana for the UK.

Earlier, Mr Fred K. Awindago, an Assistant State Attorney, had told the court presided over by Mr Justice Iddrisu Abdullai that, between January 15 and 29, last year, at the Takoradi Harbour, accused exported from Ghana to the UK, 6,240kgs of the drug without license.

The prosecution said between January 15 and February 10, the accused, again exported through the Takoradi Harbour, three tonnes (3,000kgs) of the drug to the same country without authority.

According to the prosecution, NACOB in 2014, received intelligence report from the UK, indicating that a 20-footer container numbered MSCU 0186777 had been intercepted.

The prosecution said the container was supposed to have 112 sacks of gari but was stuffed with compressed cannabis sativa (wee) weighing 6,240kgs.

The recipient of the said container mentioned the accused person as the one who exported the cargo.

The prosecution said between January 15 and February 10, whilst investigations were underway, another 40-footer container numbered MORU: 1114371 was intercepted at London Gatwick, adding that, the said container revealed 1,000 cartons of yam, 53 bags of gari and a total of 3,000kgs of compressed substance suspected to be wee concealed in the boxes of yam.

The prosecutor said documents covering the shipment were received and when the freight forwarder in Ghana was contacted, he mentioned Ennin as the one who assigned him to do the exportation on his behalf.

The prosecution said the freight forwarder led the investigator to the warehouse of Ennin at Asheyei, along the Accra-Dodowa road, where the packaging of the cargo was carried out.

He stated that surveillance was mounted at the warehouse and in the house of Ennin, and that, on June 2, the accused person was lured from his hideout to the warehouse and was arrested.

The prosecution said when Ennin's warehouse was searched, a number of cardboards with the label, 'Fresh Yam Products of Ghana,' jute sacks and plain polythene material, which were used in packaging the compressed cannabis were found in the boxes of yam.

During interrogation, Ennin mentioned one Jay as the owner of the substance, the prosecutor said.

GNA