[2019]DLHC17258 • February 28, 2019 • High Court
THE REPUBLIC vs. CHUKWUONSO OKEKE
The accused was charged with attempted exportation of narcotic drugs without licence and possession of narcotic drugs without lawful authority under PNDC Law 236. The prosecution’s case was that on 6 October 2016 NACOB officers at Ghana Post, Accra intercepted two metallic car parts stuffed with dried leaves later confirmed to be cannabis sativa. The parcels bore the accused’s name and telephone number as sender and were addressed to a recipient in China. On 3/6 November 2016, when the accused returned to Ghana Post to track the parcels, he was arrested. He claimed that one Chukwu Emeka alias 'Emmy Japan' of Lagos had given him the parcels to post, but he failed to identify or produce that person, and the court rejected that explanation as fabricated. Portion of judgment: opening facts paragraph; and later passages beginning 'The evidence shows that the Accused person was visiting the Post Office...' and 'There was nothing on the two parcels that linked them to any other person except the Accused person.'
read moreJUDGMENT The Accused person herein has been charged with two counts of offences, namely attempted exportation of narcotic drugs without license issued by the Minister for Health contrary to section 1(1) and 56(1) of Narcotic Drugs (Control, Enforcement and Sanctions) Act, 1990, (PNDC Law 236) and possession of narcotic drugs without lawful authority contrary to section 2(1) of PNDC Law 236. The facts supporting the case are that on 6th October, 2016 operatives of the Narcotics Control Board (NACOB) attached to the Ghana Post, Accra intercepted two metallic car parts stuffed with dried leaves suspected to be cannabis sativa, a narcotic drug. The parcel had as the recipient one Mr. Agozie with the address as No. 17, Hall 9 Guangto Hardware City Nahhai District Forshan City Guangdon Province. Postal code 528000 China and Tel. 8615118766421. The sender was the Accused person herein. On 6th November, 2016 the Accused person went to the Ghana Post to check on the parcel but was arrested f...