Cocaine Trial Judge Still On Vacation

By William Yaw Owusu

Saturday, 04 November 2006
A large crowd that thronged the 28th February Road Courts, popularly called Cocoa Affairs yesterday, to witness the trial of the four alleged cocaine barons, for the second time went home disappointed.

This is because the trial judge had not returned from his annual leave, hence the case could not be heard. On October 9 when they came to court, the case was not heard because the judge had proceeded on leave.

Kwabena Amaning, popularly called Tagor, Alhaji Issah Abass, Kwabena Acheampong ad Victor Kisseh, also known as Yaw Billah, are standing trial for their alleged involvement in the disappearance of 77 parcels of cocaine from the MV Benjamin vessel at the Tema Port.

They are facing provisional charges of conspiracy, engaging in prohibited business related to narcotic drugs and establishing and promoting a narcotic drug-related enterprise.

Although the lawyers knew that the judge was still on leave, they joined the prosecutor, Getrude Aikins, a Chief State Attorney, in the court to agree on the next adjourned date.



She later told the Times that they had agreed to return to the court on November 22. "We are trying to put the cases together and that is why we agreed on this date," she added.

On October 4, the court discharged Kwadwo Ababio who was being tried together with the four, following the prosecution’s submission that it was no longer interested in prosecuting him.

Tagor, Abass, Acheampong and Ababio were arrested on August 2, after testifying before the Justice Georgina Wood Committee, while Yaw Billah was picked up later.

The provisional facts as presented by Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Abichab Boye, when the trial commenced on August 4, are that some time in November last year, the police had a tip-off about the arrival of a vessel, MV Benjamin, at the Tema Port with 78 parcels of cocaine.

However, when the police raided the vessel, only one parcel was found.

Police investigations, he said, later revealed that the other 77 parcels were removed from the vessel before the raid and that the accused persons were suspected to have had knowledge about the missing cocaine parcels.