NACOB Security officers in court …over drug exportation
By Helena Selby
A Cargo Security Supervisor of the Aviance Ghana Limited and four others have been arraigned before an Accra Circuit Court in connection with the recent narcotic drug that was reportedly exported from Ghana to the United Kingdom (UK).
The accused persons are Charles Abodakpi, Abdon Dzata, a Customs Officer, who was on duty at Nick TC Scan, Samuel Aryee Tettey, a tractor driver of the Aviance Ghana Limited, Obed Amevor, Security Supervisor of Aviation Profile Security Services, at large, and Frank Amoah, alias Kofi, an Agent and Chief Executive Officer of MONAI Cargo Limited, also at large.
The accused persons, who work at the Kotoka International Airport (KIA), allegedly aided in the exportation of seven and half kilograms of cocaine and 1545 kilogram of cannabis, with street value of 4.3 million pounds to the UK.
According to the prosecutor, DSP Aidan Dery, the second accused person, Dzata, a Customs Officer succeeded in aiding the rest of the accused persons, by giving the excuse that the scan machine used for the scanning consignments was faulty.
The prosecutor disclosed that under normal circumstance, if the scan machine breaks down, the second accused person was mandated to invite security agencies’ at the airport, such as NACOB, National Security and Aviation Security for joint physical check for the consignments to ensure that nothing incriminating was included.
DSP Dery, therefore, noted that the second accused person, however, intentionally refused to invite the above mentioned security agencies for physical checks, but simply certified the documents upon sighting the consignments.
The prosecutor said further investigations revealed that the second accused person also failed to make any notes in the occurrence book, about the alleged break down of the scanning machine.
A preliminary investigation by the police led to their arrest after the said narcotics were seized upon its arrival at the Heathrow airport, the prosecutor told the court.
All accused persons are facing charges of conspiracy to export drugs without license from the Minister for Health contrary to section 1 (1) and 56 (c ) of the narcotic drug (control, enforcement and sanctions) act 1990 (PNDCL 236) and prohibited business relating to narcotic contrary to section 3 (2) of the narcotic drugs control enforcement and sanctions law, 1990 (PNDCL 236).
They pleaded not guilty to all charges leveled against them before the court presided over by Mr. Francis Obiri, and have been remanded into custody to re-appear on October 17, 2012.
The underling facts are that on September 24-25, 2012, the accused persons, including those on the run, played various roles in promoting and facilitating the exportation of the above mentioned narcotic drugs to the UK.
The Prosecutor, DSP Aidan Dery told the court that Charles Abodakpi, Samuel Aryee Tettey and Obed Amevor connived with Abdon Dzata to present documents in respect of some foodstuffs meant for export.
According to him, the said foodstuff were in four consignments which contained narcotic drugs meant for the second accused to certify for their release to the aircraft under the pretext that the scanner machine had broken down.
He said the second accused person then certified them as having physically checked the consignment and released the goods, which were escorted by the first and fourth accused persons, whilst the second accused person drove it to the aircraft.
“It has also been established from the NICK TC Scan that the scanner machine actually broke down on September 25, 2012, at 2:30 am, when the consignment had already left the airport”, the prosecutor noted.
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