Court declines bail for car dealer involved in drugs

An High Court in Accra on Thursday turned down a bail application of a car dealer being held allegedly on the charges of conspiracy and possessing of 93 pellets of drugs suspected to be cocaine.
Nana Kwesi Owusu, alleged owner of the 93 pellets’s bail was turned down by the court on the basis that the accused had not demonstrated to the court that he would appear to stand trial.
The court presided over by Mr Justice Charles Ekow Baiden refused him bail.
In the case of Owusu’s accomplice, Juliet Atuah Mandoh, her lawyer was absent in court.
Meanwhile, the state led by Mr Adamah Watkins a State Attorney substituted the facts and the charge sheet after withdrawing an earlier one filed on January 4.
The court is expected to take the plea of the accused persons and the facts read to them again. It therefore remanded Owusu and Juliet in prison custody to reappear on February 6.
The two accused persons were caught with 93 pellets of cocaine from Adenta Housing Down, a suburb in Accra in December last year.
Juliet was to transport the drug filled pellets to United Kingdom for a fee from Nana Kwesi Owusu, who is alleged to be the owner of the drugs.
Counsel for Owusu, Mr Kwabena Boye Agyekumhene who moved the bail application pending trial argued that his client was married with kids and has a fixed place of abode in Accra.
Mr Agyekumhene said, it was untrue that if Owusu was admitted to bail he would not appear to stand trial.
Mr Adama Watkins, a State Attorney opposed to the bail application on the basis that if the accused was granted bail he would not appear to stand trial.
According to Mr Watkins, the accused had fled his alleged fixed place of abode and other accomplices have bolted.
The State Attorney at the last sitting told the court that Juliet is unemployed while Owusu is a car dealer.
Mr Watkins said the complainants are the arresting officers of the Narcotics Control Board (NACOB).
He said Juliet resides at Adenta while Owusu resides at East Legon.
According to prosecution, Juliet has been transporting drugs from Ghana to the United States of America and other European countries.
The prosecution said on December 7, last year, Juliet was apprehended by NACOB officials and during interrogation, she told the officials that the drugs were given to her by Owusu to be transported to the United Kingdom for a fee of 1,000 dollars.
According to prosecution, Owusu met Juliet at Town and Country Hotel at Achimota and gave her the 93 pellets of powdery substance to ingest and later drove her to the Airport.
Prosecution said Owusu gave Juliet 1,000 pounds and $1,000 to be given to a gentleman when she gets to the United Kingdom.
Additionally, Owusu gave Juliet $1,000 as her fee for transporting the drugs.
He said at the Airport, Owusu had a call which suggested that he should not allow Juliet to check in at the Airport, so Owusu drove off with Juliet and then collected the 1,000 pounds and $1,000 from her.
The prosecution said Juliet went to lodge at Expo 67 hotel at Accra New-Town where she expelled six of the pellets and kept same in her hand bag.

He said NACOB officials who had been monitoring events however arrested Juliet with the six pellets and put her under surveillance till she expelled the rest of the drugs.
The State Attorney said Juliet cooperated by calling Owusu to informed him that she had expelled the rest of the drugs.
Prosecution said Owusu then sent a motor rider to collect the expelled pellets and gave GH¢200 to be given to Juliet to pay her hotel bills and in return give to the motor rider the drugs to be delivered to him at his hideout.
He said the motor rider after delivering the money to Juliet however sped off.
On December 11, last year, Juliet was given police enquiry bail. Owusu was however picked by NACOB officials on January 2, this year and when his room was searched, 1,000 pounds and $1,000 was retrieved from his room.
Prosecution said Owusu admitted that the monies found were those that he gave to Juliet to be given to a gentleman in the UK.
The prosecution said, Owusu said the drugs were given to him by one Ibo man at Lapaz.
Prosecution said when the drugs were forwarded to the Ghana Standard Authority it tested positive for cocaine with 72.3 per cent purity.
Source: GNA