Key Suspect Arrested In Cocaine Case

By William Yaw Owusu

Thursday, 11 January 2007
The case in which three men are standing trial for importing 15 kilogrammes of cocaine allegedly hidden in a shipment of yoghurt into the country, has taken a new turn with the arrest of a key suspect, 33-year-old Richardo Gooding,Panama in Central America.

Gooding according to Gertrude Aikins, the Acting Director of State Prosecution (DPP) is believed to have put the parcel containing the narcotic substance in the yoghurt container shipped to Ghana by Market Direct Limited, a company located on the Spintex Road in Accra.

Gooding, who was arrested on December 24, at Nima in Accra was arraigned at an Accra circuit court yesterday, and was remanded in custody until February 9 without his charge being read.

Ms. Aikins submitted that Gooding is an illegal immigrant and that the police are yet to commence investigation into the matter. "Besides we are yet to apprehend one Mustapha of Nima who is believed to be an accomplice", she added.

Opposing the prosecution’s application for remand, Kwabla Dogbe Senanu, counsel for Gooding, said that once his client had not been charged with abusing the country’s immigration rules, there was no need to detain him.

Earlier, the court remanded the three men Michael Ayache, Managing Director of Market Direct Limited, Isaac Quansah and Mohammed Salami, both clearing agents in custody on their second appearance. Their plea was not taken.

Applying for their remand, Ms. Aikins said, "I received the case docket on Monday and have been assured by the police that Interpol is going to provide vital information concerning the matter on Thursday" (today).

Sam Okudjeto, counsel for the three accused persons arguing for bail said the factual situation negated the charges preferred against his clients. " There is no criminalisation on their part as far as the facts of the case are concerned," he argued.

He said nothing prevents the police from carrying out their investigations into the matter adding that "the company has been able to assist the police to arrest a key suspect and this alone shows the seriousness we are attaching to this matter."

Ms. Aikins then cut in to say, "Justice demands that we should be given the opportunity to do our investigations. The fact that somebody (Gooding) has been arrested does not mean that the three should be released today."

The prosecution’s case is that last December 12, the Organised Crime Unit of the Police Criminal Investigation Department had information that some drugs had been concealed in a container loaded with other goods.

The container imported by Market Direct Company had arrived from Peru and was awaiting clearance at Mearsk Sealand, Tema.

According to the prosecution when the container was opened in the presence of the Police, Customs officials and the clearing agents, a bag found on top of imported yoghurt drinks, had in it 15 slabs of narcotic drugs suspected to be cocaine.

Ayache told the police that he imported the yoghurt through an agent in Argentina he found on the Internet, known as Claudio Mollo.