Hairdresser charged for supplying 'wee' to cell inmate

Mrs. Betty Mould Iddrisu, Minister for Justice & Attorney General

By: Helena Selby
Mrs. Betty Mould Iddrisu, Minister for Justice & Attorney General

A hair dresser has been arraigned before an Accra circuit court for allegedly supplying marijuana to a suspect in police custody. The accused person, Afiriwaa Razak, pleaded not guilty before the court, presided over by Mr. CA Wilson on the charge of supply of narcotic drugs without lawful authority. She has been remanded into custody to re-appear on July 2, 2010.

The prosecutor, Mercy Arthur, who is an Assistant State Attorney, told the court that on October 30, 2005 at about 1:25 pm, the accused person, Afiriwaa Razak went to the old Fadama Police station to visit Dawuni Razak, who was in police custody for the offence of stealing.

According to her, the accused had a black polythene bag with her, which contained iced water for the suspect, Dawuni.

'An officer on duty at the time, G/Sgt Henry Ankrah searched the bag and found three wrapped substances, suspected to be cannabis sativa (wee), a narcotic drug', she noted. The prosecutor noted that the suspected narcotic drug substance was forwarded to the police Forensic Laboratory, and tested positive for cannabis sativa, a narcotic drug with a net weight of 6.8 grammes.

Meanwhile, at the same court, a labourer was also arraigned before the court for allegedly possessing wrappers of dried leaves suspected to be Indian hemp. The accused person, David Akinewa, 43, pleaded guilty on the charge of possessing narcotic drug. He was remanded into custody to re-appear on July 2, 2010.

The prosecutor, ASP Reynold Agyemang, told the court that on July 21, 2010, at about 6:00pm, the complainant was on duty from 6:00am to 6:00pm at the charge office when the accused person, David Akinewa, brought in a ball of banku to be served to one of the inmates in the cells at around 12:00pm.

According to him, the complainant inspected the food as a normal routine at the office and to his utter dismay discovered four wrappers of dried leaves, suspected to be Indian hemp, wrapped in a brown paper and concealed in the ball of banku.

ASP Agyemang mentioned that the accused person was arrested with the stuff and upon interrogation he mentioned one of the inmates in the cells, remand prisoner Kofi Wayo, as the one who sent him. 'Investigative cautioned statement was obtained from remand prisoner Kofi Wayo, but he denied any knowledge of the food and stuff', the prosecutor noted.

According to the prosecutor, the exhibit is to be sent to the forensic laboratory for examination.