JOSEPH KOJO DAWSON vs. THE REPUBLIC

APALOO, JA: The appellant was charged together with five others for various narcotic offences before the High Court, Fast Track Division Accra. The appellant in particular was charged with the offence of use of Property for Narcotic Offences contrary to section 10(1)(b) of the Narcotic Drug (Control, Enforcement and Sanctions) Law 1990, PNDC Law 236. The prosecution alleged that Joseph Kojo Dawson who was Managing Director of Dashment Company Ltd owners of a fishing vessel named MV Benjamin was contacted by certain "drug barons" to charter MV Benjamin, and according to the prosecution for the purpose of using it to convey some narcotic substances from the high seas into Ghana, The Drug barons were named as Sheriff Asem Darke, Ande, Lee, Ande Yul Sing and Jil Bae. Sheriff Asem Darke entered into a rental agreement with the appellant to charter his fishing vessel MV Benjamin on a bareboat charter basis in February 2006. Upon procuring the vessel, the "barons" engaged one Pak Bok Sil to...