A trader, Daniel Agbeko, alias Abraham Fosu has been sentenced by the High Court in Accra to serve 15 years imprisonment after being found guilty of importation of narcotic drugs.
In addition to the 15-year custodial sentence, Mr. Agbeko is to pay a fine of 10,000 penalty units which is equivalent to GHC120,000.
The Court presided over by Justice Marie-Louise Simmons said in default of the fine, he should serve three additional years.
Agbeko was found guilty of three counts- engaging in criminal Conspiracy for the importation of Narcotic drugs, importation of Narcotic drugs, and attempted exportation of Narcotic drugs, without a license by the Minister for Health, contrary to section 109(b) and 36(1) of Narcotics Control Commission Act 2020 (Act 1019).
Justice Simmons after conviction sentenced him to 15 years imprisonment on each of the three counts but said the sentences are to run concurrently.
The Court prior to sentencing the convict, considered submission of mitigation made by counsel for the convict Augustine Gyamfi as well as submission made by counsel for the republic Frederick Adu Gyamfi.
The Court said, as per the law (Act 1019), the Court is enjoined to impose a minimum custodial sentence of 10 years and a maximum sentence of 25 years.
For fines, the law also prescribed a minimum fine of 10, 000 penalty units (equivalent to GHc120,000) and 25, 000 penalty units (equivalent to GHc300,000).
The court also said the convict is a first-time offender and a young man also took into consideration the fact that the convict showed remorse.
Brief facts
Per the brief facts of the case, the Witnesses are officers of the Narcotics Control Commission and other sister agencies.
While the Accused Daniel Agbeko alias Abraham Fosu is a trader by profession.
According to the prosecution, on June 20, 2022, at about 1500hrs, personnel of the Commission stationed at Aviance Cargo section of the Kotoka International Airport, Accra on their routine examination of outbound packages of Arame mails, intercepted a package destined for Sydney-Australia on suspicion.
It was the case of the prosecution that, the package was carefully examined and was found to contain two (2) picture frames stuffed with whitish crystal substances suspected to be narcotic drugs.
The Prosecution stated that, a field test on the substances proved positive for methamphetamine, a narcotic drug.
It stated that, on same day, a team of investigators contacted Aramex office and informed them about the package to assist in tracking the sender.
The Prosecution said, on June 23, 2022, the personnel of the Commission in collaboration with Arame officials lured the accused who gave his sender’s name at the time as Abraham Fosu to the Aramex Office.
The Accused was identified to the Commission’s officers and was arrested.
It said, during investigations, the accused admitted ownership of the package and its contents and stated in his investigation cautioned statement that he received the said picture frame from his Nigerian partner by name John Emeka.
“Accused stated further that his actual name is Daniel Agbeko and Abraham Fosu is not his name but he decided to use the passport of Abraham Fosu to outwit his identity,” the Prosecution indicated.
It said upon inspection of his Ghanaian passport, it corresponded with the actual name he gave to the police.
The exhibits were forwarded to the Ghana Standards Authority for analytical examination and report.
Source: Ghana/Starrfm.com.gh/103.5FM
