Spain-Based Ghanaian Jailed For Cocaine Deal

Amadu Sumaila, a Ghanaian based in Spain, was yesterday sentenced to 15 years’ hard labour by the Accra Fast Track High Court for swallowing 80 pellets of cocaine on July 18, 2008.

The substance weighed 924.6729 grammes when it was examined by the Ghana Standards Board. The court, presided over by Mr Justice Charles Quist, said the convict, who was not present in court, did not lead any evidence that he had a licence from the Minister of Health to possess the narcotics or that he was a medical officer with licence to use it for forensic purposes.

It said from his statement to the police, the convict, who was a construction worker in Spain, knew that he had in his possession cocaine and it was in pursuant of carrying the drugs that he came to Ghana.

“The denial by the accused person portrayed him as an incredible witness because he knew the nature and quality of the substance in his stomach,” the court held.

The convict was arrested at the Kotoka International Airport while he was going through departure formalities to board a flight to Spain that day.

Narcotic Control Officials who suspected him of carrying narcotics invited him for questioning and subjected him to a urine test which proved positive for cocaine.

Sumaila confessed that he had swallowed cocaine and after observing him for sometime he expelled the substances. The court said the convict said that he was contracted to carry the cocaine for 3,000 euros and that he met someone at the Kwame Nkrumah Circle in Accra to take the bag containing the stuff and took it home to swallow.

Author : Stephen Sah