Fourteen individuals, including a 38-year-old trader, Afulo Agalisi, have been arraigned before the Circuit Court in Dansoman on charges relating to the possession of suspected narcotic substances and unlawful assembly.
The accused persons were arrested during a coordinated operation on July 13, 2025 in and around Zongo, a suburb of Shukura, in the Greater Accra Region.
The operation, led by the Shukura District Police Command, the Community Police Assistants and members of the Zongo Youth Group Against Drugs, was in response to increasing concerns about the rampant use and sale of narcotics in the area.
The suspects were picked up between 7:00 pm and 10:00 pm during the operation. The prosecution, Chief Inspector Kwadwo Aboagye, told the court that intelligence gathered indicated that several youths in the community were actively engaged in drug-related activities, which often resulted in violent behaviour and attacks on residents.
Among those arrested were Afulo Agalisi (1), 38 – Trader, Sulley Mohammed (2), 33 – Poultry Farmer, Aziz IssahTahiru (3), 24 – Labourer, Issah Mohammed (4) – Unemployed, Abubakar Amadu (5), 31 – Okada Rider, Desmond Gyedu (6) 32 – A/C Repairer.
The rest are Collins Joe (A7), 41 – Factory Hand, Bilya Salis (A8), 20 – Trader, Saddick Bello, 22 – Khebab Seller (A9), Joseph Senu (A10), 20 – Tiler Apprentice, Saeed Mohammed (A11), 21 – Fitte, Suleman Saani (A12), 25 – Trader, Joseph Baah (A13), 30 – Okada Rider and Suleman Abubakar (A24), currently at large.
The accused have been charged with various offenses, including possession of narcotic drugs contrary to Section 37(1) of the Narcotics Control Commission Act, 2020 (Act 1019), and unlawful assembly under Section 202 of the Criminal Offences Act, 1960 (Act 29).
Court documents revealed that Afulo Agalisi was found in possession of one wrapper of a substance suspected to be a narcotic drug. Sulley Mohammed allegedly had 13 wrappers of similar substances on him, at the time of arrest.
The substances were reportedly found in blue and plain rubber wraps, with labels such as “BACKWOODS.”
All 14 accused persons pleaded not guilty to the charges when they appeared before Her Honour Halimah El-Alawa Abdul-Baasit.
The court, exercising its discretion under Section 96(7)(a) of Act 30, denied bail to all the accused.
They have been remanded into police custody. One juvenile involved has been remanded into the care of the Tesano Divisional Juvenile Centre.
Prosecution has been ordered to file full disclosures and witness statements ahead of the next hearing, which is scheduled to commence on July 30, 2025.
The substances retrieved from Afulo Agalisi and Sulley Mohammed are expected to be sent to the Forensic Laboratory for further analysis.
The case is under investigation by Chief Inspector Kwadwo Aboagye.
