Cocaine ship was hired at 150,00 dollars

By William Yaw Owusu

Monday June 25, 2007
THE investigator in the case of six persons charged for the importation of 77 parcels of cocaine on board the MV Benjamin vessel says Asem Darke, popularly called Sherriff, the police’s most wanted man in connection with the case, chartered the vessel at a fee of 150,000 dollars.

Police Detective Inspector Charles Adaba, on Friday, told the Accra Fast Track High Court trying the case that the vessel had been chartered by the fugitive with the pretext to tow his distress vessel at Conakry, Guinea but ended up importing 77 parcels of cocaine, 76 of which was carted away by Sheriff and his men before the security agencies got into the vessel on April 27, 2006.

Insp. Adaba said this under cross examination at the court presided over by Justice Annin Yeboah of the Court of appeal.

Joseph Kojo Dawson the vessel owner who the police say allowed his vessel to be used to import the cocaine is being tried together with five of the vessel's crew including a Korean and two Chinese.

They are Pak Bok Sil, an engineer from Korea, Isaac Arhin, 49, Phillip Bruce Arhin, 49, a mechanic , Cui Xian Li, 49; a vessel engineer and Luo Yui Xing, 49, all Chinese.

All six men have been charged with various roles they played in the importation of the cocaine to the Tema Port in April last year.

Dawson has pleaded not guilty to using his property for narcotic offences while Bok Sil also pleaded not guilty to one count of engaging in prohibited business relating to narcotic drugs.

Isaac Arhin, Bruce Arhin, Li and Xing have all pleaded not guilty to two counts of engaging in prohibited business relating to narcotic drugs and possessing narcotic drugs without lawful authority.

Cross examined by D.K.Ameley, counsel for Dawson, Inspector Adaba, told the court that the charter agreement was in January last year between a Korean called Bae who is the initial owner of the vessel, Dawson and Sherriff on January 28 last year, and it was witnessed by Sheriff’s lawyer called Owuo of Beechem Chambers in Tema.

He said once the once the vessel’s owners did not ensure that Sherrif used the vessel for the intended purpose of towing another distress vessel, Dawson should be held responsible for the importation adding “the first accused knew of the importation according to the statements he gave to the initial investigators when the matter came up”.

He said he did not do incompetent work as far as investigations into the matter was concerned saying “I did the best I could to come out with the evidence”.

When James Agalga, counsel for Bok Sil took his turn, Inspector Adaba told the court that it was the second accused person who introduced Killer the Korean who is also want in connection with the importation of the cocaine to Isaac Arhin.

He told the court that he got to know about it in the statement given by Arhin to the police upon their arrest.

The court presided over by Justice Annin Yeboah of the Court of Appeal adjourned proceedings until June 26, for counsel for the Arhins, Li and Xing to cross examine Inspector Adaba.