By William Yaw Owusu,
Saturday, 08 July 2006
AN Accra Fast Track High Court has ordered that a Spanish interpreter be provided for two Venezuelans standing trial for illegal possession of cocaine.The court registrar is to apply to the Ghana Institute of Languages to get one.
The order followed a submission by Obeng Sakyi, defence counsel, that his client, Joel Mella, 35, could not speak English.
The court, presided over by Mr. Justice E. K. Ayebi, therefore did not take the plea of Mella and his co-accused, Halo Cabeza Castillo, 38, but adjourned the case until July 14.
It turned down an application for bail by Mr Sekyi who argued that the accused were arrested in November last year and the police had all the time to conclude investigations but had caused an “undue delay.”
Ms Gertrude Aikins, Chief State Attorney, prosecuting, objected to counsel’s request saying that the accused might jump bail since they are not permanently resident in the country.
The police arrested the two foreigners at East Legon in Accra on November 26, 2005 for possessing cocaine with a reported street value of about 38 million dollars.
A statement issued by the Police Public Relations Directorate at the time said 588 wrapped pellets, suspected to be cocaine, were found concealed in paper boxes in two rooms used by the accused.
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