Two females and nine males between the ages of 18 and 52 years have been hauled before the Accra Circuit Court for unlawful possession of drugs.
They are Ethel Anaab, 28 a trader, Daniel Tetteh Botchway, 52 a farmer, Ruth Botchway, 20 a trader, Kofi Nti, 29 a driver and Benette Adjei, 29 a chef.
The rest are Owuraku Agyemang, 23 unemployed, Joshua Odamtien, 23 unemployed, Isaac Boateng, 34 a trader, Stephen Kofi Appiani, 20 unemployed, Roger Abeiku Danso Mensah, 30 a cleaning agent and Denis Laryea, 23 unemployed.
All 11 accused persons have pleaded not guilty to the charge when presented before the judge, Mr Samuel Bright Acquah on March 27, 2024.
The court after taking their plea, remanded them into lawful custody to make the next appearance in court on April 8, 2024.
Reading the brief facts of the case to the court, ASP Maxwell Oppong, the prosecutor told the court that complainant and witnesses in the case are personnel of the Ghana Military Police, stationed at Burma Camp Accra.
The 11 accused persons lives at La Palm-Wine Junction area and a spot near La Villas, Burma Camp, where people in the La township often gather and peddle in narcotic substances.
On March 22, 2024 about 2.00 pm, the complainant and witnesses picked up intelligence that the accused persons have gathered at the said spot peddling and using narcotic substances.
The team organised a swoop at the said location, which resulted in the arrest of the accused persons, and each was found smoking quantity of substance suspected to be narcotic at the said spot.
During the operation, a quantity of similar plant substance was found in black polythene bag, but security officers are yet to establish the owner.
The complainant and witnesses arrested the accused persons together with the plant substances suspected to be narcotic and handed them over to the La Police for action.
The prosecutor said efforts are being made to get the plant substance tested.
He added that while the case is still under investigation, the accused persons were brought before the honourable court per the offence as contained on the charge sheet.
