Daasebre Gyamena Is Innocent — Lawyers

Lawyers representing the Ghanaian highlife music star, Daasebre Gyamena, who is facing trial for allegedly smuggling cocaine into the United Kingdom (UK), have said evidence gathered so far on the case indicates that their client is innocent.

Daasebre will face a minimum of ten-year jail term if found guilty of the charge preferred against him at the Uxbridge Magistrate court in London, UK.

The Head of the law firm, Ally Lindsay Solicitors, Mr Mohammed Reza Ally, told reporters after the third appearance of their client via a video link at the court last Tuesday in London.

He said under UK laws, suspects with more than 500 grammes of cocaine were given 10 years jail sentence or more if found guilty, but there are other factors that were taken into consideration.

“The purity, as well as the quantity of the drug are such factors that to a large extent determine or influence the judgement.

In this case the real quantity has not been established yet,” he said.

Mr Ally said the substance found on the musician was still at the laboratories and might be reduced in purity and size or weight after the examination.

He said he was waiting for the results so that other facts and information would be put together in order to put up a strong case in favour of the musician.

Mr Ally hinted that Daasebre would plead not guilty when the case resumed at the Isleworth Crown Court, after the adjournment at the Uxbridge Magistrate Court, at the next sitting on August 8, 2006.

Mr Ally, who exercised extreme caution in answering questions so as not to slip in anyway, said he would also pray the court for bail.

He said there were several opportunities available to request for bail for his client if “someone will volunteer a security and or surety”.

He said Daasebre would need a place to lodge and report himself regularly to the security and since he was a star and well known, he could not jump bail and moreover his travelling documents would be temporarily ceased.

The solicitor, who said he had been defending drug smugglers from all over the world including some from Ghana and Nigeria for the past 20 years, affirmed that the Ghanaian star was comfortable with his firm.

He was not in favour of a suggestion of a Ghanaian lawyer for Daasebre for the sake of language and familiarity, arguing that “he cannot be so open to such a lawyer and that may be dangerous to him.

He is not that bad in English and I don't think there is even the need for an interpreter”.

He told the Daily Graphic in an interview that Daasebre did not want people to visit him “because he is scared. He has not gone through this kind of situation before and he does not exactly know what is happening”.

Mr Ally said he had link with the musician's family but could not name any family member.
Daasebre was arrested in London on June 29, 2006 for being in possession of cocaine.

The magistrates' court has been denied jurisdiction over the case and, therefore, it will, on August 8, refer the case to the Isleworth Crown Court for the continuation of the trial of the music star.

For the third time, Daasebre's plea was not taken by the court. He is standing trial on one count of attempting to smuggle cocaine into the UK.

Daasebre was arrested in the early hours of Thursday, June 29, this year, by security and customs officials, when he disembarked from a British Airways flight from Accra to London, for possessing substances suspected to be cocaine.

Spotting a red 'T-Shirt' via a video link system at Court Room 3, the Ghanaian highlife star appeared very confident but not cheerful.

Assertively, he mentioned his name 'Gyamena Daasebre' (as spelt in court records) when he was asked of his name and date of birth. He gave his date of birth as December 25, 1972.

Seated calmly in the prisons, he was told by the court clerk, “I believe you have been told but I need to repeat it to you that you have to consider the room where you are as a courtroom and that you have to behave well as such.”

“Okay, thank you,” Daasebre responded via the link.
Within six minutes all was over and he was told to reappear on August 8, 2006, via a video link.