[2019]DLHC17258 Login to Read Full Case <span style="font-size: 18px !important;"><div class="WordSection1"> <p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center;line-height:115%; tab-stops:4.5pt"><a name="_Hlk157437484"></a><a name="_Hlk152146143"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif;mso-fareast-font-family:"Book Antiqua";mso-bidi-font-family: "Book Antiqua";color:#00B0F0">THE REPUBLIC<o:p></o:p></span></b></a></p> <p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center;line-height:115%; tab-stops:4.5pt"><i><span style="font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif;mso-fareast-font-family:"Book Antiqua";mso-bidi-font-family: "Book Antiqua"">(PLAINTIFF)<o:p></o:p></span></i></p> <p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center;line-height:115%; tab-stops:4.5pt"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif;mso-fareast-font-family:"Book Antiqua";mso-bidi-font-family: "Book Antiqua";color:#00B0F0">vs.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center;line-height:115%; tab-stops:4.5pt"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif;mso-fareast-font-family:"Book Antiqua";mso-bidi-font-family: "Book Antiqua";color:#00B0F0">CHUKWUONSO OKEKE<o:p></o:p></span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center;line-height:115%; tab-stops:4.5pt"><i><span style="font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif;mso-fareast-font-family:"Book Antiqua";mso-bidi-font-family: "Book Antiqua"">(DEFENDANT)<o:p></o:p></span></i></p> <p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center;line-height:115%; tab-stops:4.5pt"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif;mso-fareast-font-family: "Book Antiqua";mso-bidi-font-family:"Book Antiqua"">[HIGH COURT, ACCRA]<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:115%;tab-stops:4.5pt 168.75pt"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif;mso-fareast-font-family:"Book Antiqua";mso-bidi-font-family: "Book Antiqua""> </span></p> <div style="border-top: none; border-right: none; border-left: none; border-image: initial; border-bottom-width: 1.5pt; border-bottom-color: black; padding: 0cm 0cm 1pt;"> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:115%;tab-stops:4.5pt; border:none;mso-border-bottom-alt:solid black 1.5pt;padding:0cm;mso-padding-alt: 0cm 0cm 1.0pt 0cm"><a name="_heading=h.gjdgxs"></a><span style="font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif;mso-fareast-font-family:"Book Antiqua";mso-bidi-font-family: "Book Antiqua"">SUIT NO. CR/808/2016 DATE: 28<sup>TH</sup> FEBRUARY, 2019</span><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif;mso-fareast-font-family: "Book Antiqua";mso-bidi-font-family:"Book Antiqua""><o:p></o:p></span></b></p> </div> <p class="MsoNoSpacing"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif">COUNSEL<o:p></o:p></span></b></p> <div style="border-top: none; border-right: none; border-left: none; border-image: initial; border-bottom-width: 1.5pt; border-bottom-color: windowtext; padding: 0cm 0cm 1pt;"> <p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="border:none;mso-border-bottom-alt:solid windowtext 1.5pt; padding:0cm;mso-padding-alt:0cm 0cm 1.0pt 0cm"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif">FRANK AGYAPONG ESQ., FOR THE ACCUSED ASHONG OKAI ESQ., FOR THE REPUBLIC<o:p></o:p></span></p> </div> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:115%;tab-stops:4.5pt"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif;mso-fareast-font-family: "Book Antiqua";mso-bidi-font-family:"Book Antiqua"">CORAM <o:p></o:p></span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:115%;tab-stops:4.5pt"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif; mso-bidi-font-weight:bold">HIS LORDSHIP JUSTICE CHARLES EDWARD EKOW BAIDEN</span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif;mso-fareast-font-family:"Book Antiqua";mso-bidi-font-family: "Book Antiqua";mso-bidi-font-weight:bold"> <o:p></o:p></span></p> <div style="border-top-width: 1.5pt; border-top-color: black; border-left: none; border-bottom-width: 1.5pt; border-bottom-color: black; border-right: none; padding: 0cm 0cm 1pt;"> <p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center;line-height:115%; tab-stops:4.5pt;border:none;mso-border-top-alt:solid black 1.5pt;mso-border-bottom-alt: solid black 1.5pt;padding:0cm;mso-padding-alt:0cm 0cm 1.0pt 0cm"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif;mso-fareast-font-family: "Book Antiqua";mso-bidi-font-family:"Book Antiqua"">JUDGMENT</span></b><b><span style="font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif; mso-fareast-font-family:"Book Antiqua";mso-bidi-font-family:"Book Antiqua""><o:p></o:p></span></b></p> </div> <p class="MsoBodyText" style="margin-left:0cm;text-align:justify;line-height: 115%"><span style="font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif">The Accused person herein has been charged with two counts of offences, namely attempted<span style="letter-spacing:-.65pt"> </span>exportation<span style="letter-spacing: -.7pt"> </span>of<span style="letter-spacing:-.7pt"> </span>narcotic<span style="letter-spacing:-.7pt"> </span>drugs<span style="letter-spacing:-.7pt"> </span>without<span style="letter-spacing:-.65pt"> </span>license<span style="letter-spacing:-.5pt"> </span>issued<span style="letter-spacing:-.7pt"> </span>by<span style="letter-spacing:-.65pt"> </span>the<span style="letter-spacing:-.55pt"> </span>Minister<span style="letter-spacing:-.6pt"> </span>for<span style="letter-spacing:-.6pt"> </span>Health contrary<span style="letter-spacing:-.6pt"> </span>to<span style="letter-spacing: -.6pt"> </span>section<span style="letter-spacing:-.7pt"> </span>1(1)<span style="letter-spacing:-.75pt"> </span>and<span style="letter-spacing:-.7pt"> </span>56(1)<span style="letter-spacing:-.75pt"> </span>of<span style="letter-spacing:-.7pt"> </span>Narcotic<span style="letter-spacing:-.7pt"> </span>Drugs<span style="letter-spacing:-.7pt"> </span>(Control,<span style="letter-spacing:-.65pt"> </span>Enforcement<span style="letter-spacing: -.65pt"> </span>and<span style="letter-spacing:-.7pt"> </span>Sanctions) Act, 1990, (PNDC Law 236) and possession of narcotic drugs without lawful authority contrary to section 2(1) of PNDC Law 236.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoBodyText" style="text-align:justify;line-height:115%"><span style="font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif">The facts supporting the case are that on 6<span style="position:relative;top:-3.5pt;mso-text-raise:3.5pt">th<span style="letter-spacing:2.0pt"> </span></span>October, 2016 operatives of the Narcotics Control<span style="letter-spacing:.15pt"> </span>Board<span style="letter-spacing: .1pt"> </span>(NACOB)<span style="letter-spacing:.3pt"> </span>attached<span style="letter-spacing:.2pt"> </span>to<span style="letter-spacing:.15pt"> </span>the<span style="letter-spacing:.2pt"> </span>Ghana<span style="letter-spacing:.2pt"> </span>Post,<span style="letter-spacing:.15pt"> </span>Accra<span style="letter-spacing:.4pt"> </span>intercepted<span style="letter-spacing:.25pt"> </span>two<span style="letter-spacing:.35pt"> </span>metallic<span style="letter-spacing:.2pt"> </span><span style="letter-spacing:-.25pt">car</span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoBodyText" style="text-align:justify;line-height:115%"><span style="font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif;letter-spacing:-.1pt">parts</span><span style="font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif;letter-spacing:-.4pt"> </span><span style="font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif;letter-spacing:-.1pt">stuffed</span><span style="font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif;letter-spacing:-.4pt"> </span><span style="font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif;letter-spacing:-.1pt">with</span><span style="font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif;letter-spacing:-.35pt"> </span><span style="font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif;letter-spacing:-.1pt">dried</span><span style="font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif;letter-spacing:-.35pt"> </span><span style="font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif;letter-spacing:-.1pt">leaves</span><span style="font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif;letter-spacing:-.2pt"> </span><span style="font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif;letter-spacing:-.1pt">suspected</span><span style="font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif;letter-spacing:-.35pt"> </span><span style="font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif;letter-spacing:-.1pt">to</span><span style="font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif;letter-spacing:-.3pt"> </span><span style="font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif;letter-spacing:-.1pt">be</span><span style="font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif;letter-spacing:-.35pt"> </span><span style="font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif;letter-spacing:-.1pt">cannabis</span><span style="font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif;letter-spacing:-.2pt"> </span><span style="font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif;letter-spacing:-.1pt">sativa,</span><span style="font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif;letter-spacing:-.35pt"> </span><span style="font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif;letter-spacing:-.1pt">a</span><span style="font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif;letter-spacing:-.35pt"> </span><span style="font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif;letter-spacing:-.1pt">narcotic</span><span style="font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif;letter-spacing:-.4pt"> </span><span style="font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif;letter-spacing:-.1pt">drug.</span><span style="font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif;letter-spacing:-.35pt"> </span><span style="font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif;letter-spacing:-.1pt">The</span><span style="font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif;letter-spacing:-.35pt"> </span><span style="font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif;letter-spacing:-.1pt">parcel </span><span style="font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif">had<span style="letter-spacing:-.75pt"> </span>as<span style="letter-spacing:-.75pt"> </span>the<span style="letter-spacing: -.65pt"> </span>recipient<span style="letter-spacing:-.7pt"> </span>one<span style="letter-spacing:-.65pt"> </span>Mr.<span style="letter-spacing:-.7pt"> </span>Agozie<span style="letter-spacing:-.7pt"> </span>with<span style="letter-spacing:-.65pt"> </span>the<span style="letter-spacing:-.7pt"> </span>address<span style="letter-spacing:-.75pt"> </span>as<span style="letter-spacing:-.65pt"> </span>No.<span style="letter-spacing: -