A 47-year-old Tipper truck driver, Bawa Abdulai, has been convicted by the Circuit Court 11, in Accra, after pleading guilty to a charge of unlawful control of narcotic drugs. The court, presided over by Her Honour Basilia Adjei-Tawiah, however, deferred sentencing and remanded the convict into police custody.
Bawa Abdulai was arraigned before the court on Wednesday, August 13, 2025 following his arrest at Dawa, in the Greater Accra Region, on August 6, 2025.
He was found in possession of a Tipper truck loaded with 75 fertilizer sacks, containing dried plant materials, suspected to be marijuana.
Charged with unlawful control of narcotic drug, contrary to Section 37(1)(2)(b) of the Narcotics Control Commission Act, 2020 (Act 1019), Abdulai pleaded guilty simpliciter to the offence.
According to the prosecution, the arrest was effected by personnel of the Critical Incidence of National Interest Investigation Team (CINIIT) of the National Security Secretariat.
The operation, led by Mr. Richard Jakpa, was intelligence-driven and targeted the movement of illegal substances through the Dawa area.
The suspect was intercepted around 8 p.m. on the said date, driving a Tipper truck with registration number GN 951-20 which was found loaded with the suspected narcotics.
Upon his arrest, the matter was handed over to the Drug Law Enforcement Unit (DLEU) of the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) Headquarters on August 7, 2025.
During police interrogation, Abdulai revealed in his caution statement that he had been contracted by one “Philip” from Somanya to transport the consignment to Dawa, for a fee of GH¢8,000.
While the accused has admitted to the offence, the court opted to defer sentencing to allow time for the police to complete forensic testing on the dried plant materials to confirm whether they are indeed narcotic substances.
Bawa Abdulai has been remanded into police custody and is expected to reappear before the court on August 28, 2025 for final determination and possible sentencing.
The case remains under active investigation.
