2 police officers held for cocaine theft

• Posted on June 5, 2014June 5, 2014
• by Nana Kwesi Coomson
• Comment

Two policemen who seized powdery substances suspected to be cocaine and hoarded them in an attempt to sell them have been remanded by the Accra Circuit Court.

General Lance Corporal Haruna Nantogma,35,  (a detective) and Lance Corporal Felix Osomi Teye, 35, (an investigator) arrested Ken Amuzu for possessing 49 wraps of powdery and four rocky substances believed to be cocaine.

Out of the items they seized, the two policemen kept 10 wraps of the powdery substance and one rocky substance for sale.

They were charged with conspiracy to commit crime, to wit,  supply of narcotic drugs without lawful authority, and the use of narcotic drug, but they pleaded not guilty to both charges.

Their remand came after the prosecutor, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Mr Abraham Annor, had told the court that the offences committed by the two policemen were non-bailable.

“Besides, these policemen are likely to interfere with investigations if they are granted bail,” he told the court, presided over by Mr Francis Obiri.

The prosecutor also prayed the court to remand the two officers to enable the police to carry out thorough investigations into the matter.

However, counsel for the two officers, Mr Ken Attafuah, told the court that the accused persons were police officers who would not interfere with police investigations and must, therefore, be granted bail.

The court, however, declined to heed to his bail application and remanded the officers to reappear on June 18, 2014.

Background

DSP Annor told the court that the accused personsy were policemen stationed at the Madina and the East Legon Police stations, respectively.

He said on May 30,2014, the police received a court order from the circuit court for the arrest of the two.

On June 2, this year, the accused persons were arrested for interrogation and questioning, he said.

During investigations, DSP Annor said, it emerged that the two policemen had met many times at the Madina Police Station, the Fiesta Royal Hotel, Lapaz and the Accra Shopping Mall.

“Both planned, conspired together and arrested Ken Amuzu with a total of 49 wraps of a powdery substance and four rocky items suspected to be cocaine.

“Out of the number they seized, the two policemen kept 10 wraps of powdery substance and one rocky substance for sale,” he said.

He told the court that the East Legon Police, however, retrieved a total of 10 wraps of the powdery substance and a rocky substance and later found six others in the custody of Osomi.

-Daily Graphic