$20m Wee Suspect Freed on Bail

An Accra Fast Track High Court (Criminal Division) yesterday granted the bail application filed by lawyers of the 46-year-old businessman arrested for allegedly exporting 6,240kg of cannabis sativa (wee) – a narcotic drug worth $20m – to the United Kingdom (UK).

This was after Kwame Boafo Akuffo, lead counsel for the accused, Kofi Appianin Ennin, had filed for bail at the court pending the determination of the case.

The accused was arrested through the collaboration of the UK security agencies and Ghana’s Narcotics Control Board (NACOB) after Ennin had successfully left the shores of Ghana for that country.

Ennin is facing a two-count charge each of exportation of narcotic drug without licence from the Minister of Health and possession of narcotic drugs without lawful authority.

According to the prosecution led by Fred K. Awindago, an assistant state attorney, Ennin, between January 15 and 29, 2014 at the Takoradi Harbour, exported from Ghana to the UK 6,240kg of the drug without licence.

It also alleged that between January 15 and February 10, 2015, the accused, through the Takoradi Harbour again, exported three tonnes (3,000kgs) of the drug to the same country without licence. Ennin has however, denied the offence.

At the hearing of the case, the trial judge, Justice Abdullai Iddrisu, stated that he had read the processes before him and that the Attorney-General (AG) had not filed any affidavit in opposition, although her outfit was served on July 23, 2015.

He said the prisons officer who was asked about the whereabouts of the accused did not seem to know where he (accused) was.

Justice Iddrisu stated that the investigator was also not in the court to assist, likewise a representative of the AG.

In the view of the judge, it would have been useful for the AG to have come to court, adding that the issue in contention bordered on the fundamental human rights of the accused.

He said the court had also been informed that Ennin had been admitted at the Police Hospital after he had complained that he could not breathe properly.

Justice Iddrisu noted that since July 23, 2015, the accused had not been brought to the court and his health was also worsening.

He said it was useful to grant Ennin bail on humanitarian grounds.

He accordingly admitted the accused to bail in the sum of GHc1 million with two sureties each to be justified.

As part of the bail conditions, Ennin was to report to the police every Tuesday and Thursday pending the determination of the case.