Executive Secretary of the Narcotic Control Board (NACOB), Akrasi Sarpong, has been sued at an Accra high court (Criminal Division) for contempt.
The suit follows his comments over the grant of bail to one Chief Sunny Ikechukwu Benjy Eke, a 53- year-old businessman, and his alleged accomplice, James Eleke Chukwu, 47, a second-hand clothes dealer in Accra, in the sum of Ȼ200,000, with three sureties each in an ongoing case before the court.
Chief Eke had been on remand at the Nsawam Medium Security Prisons since 2013 for allegedly attempting to smuggle 281,604 grammes of liquid cocaine with a street value of over $12.5 million (Ȼ493, 750,00) into the country.
The drug was allegedly concealed in a 40-footer container filled with 1,946 boxes of shampoo imported from Bolivia in South America, to Ghana.
But Mr. Sarpong, unsatisfied with the bail, is quoted as having said that the terms for the bail were very unfortunate because Chief Eke was known to have jumped bail in Brazil.
He alleged that all international drug agencies were hunting for him but could not arrest him until he was nabbed in Ghana.
He argued that the judge, in using his discretion as required by law, should have considered the past record of the suspect, which was public knowledge.
The NACOB boss said the fight against transnational organised crime is not for the security agencies alone but the whole justice delivery system in the country.
He warned that if the suspect escaped, nobody should blame NACOB because the board would use meagre state resources to monitor him (the suspect) as "he walks free on the streets of Accra, a situation which he could take advantage of to escape again."
He said while the Judiciary upheld the 1992 Constitution and the rule of law, there was the need to understand that the characters involved in transnational organised crime, such as Chief Eke, could undermine democracy, promote impunity of the private sector against the public sector, engender corruption both in the public and the private sectors, as well as give cause for the rise of fake and wrong role models.
"For NACOB, the condition under which the accused was granted bail was not the best, judging from his past record of jumping bail. Besides, we are aware that the wheel of justice is a slow process, but no matter how slow it is, justice is more likely to prevail than injustice," Mr Akrasi Sarpong noted.
However, lawyers for the suspects - Augustines Obour and K.K. Amoah have urged the court to convict the NACOB boss for contempt.
In their affidavit in support of the motion for contempt, the stated among other things that the comments made and published in the Daily Graphic edition of June 20, 2016 were prejudicial and could affect justice delivery in the case.
It said it was necessary Mr. Sarpong is dragged before the court to purge himself of the charge.
Meanwhile, the court has set July 13 to move the application.
Latest Stories
-
Yaw Nsarkoh: Bit by bit we will understand China
5 hours -
Looted and returned: Asante royal artefacts on display for public viewing at Manhyia Museum
5 hours -
Suspected killer in Kasoa land dispute shooting not a National Security operative
5 hours -
Ghana appoint four Para Athletics coaches in Preparation for Paris 2024
5 hours -
Kumasi Cheshire Home decries inadequate equipment; seeks public support
6 hours -
UCL: Niclas Fullkrug hands Dortmund first leg advange over PSG
6 hours -
GPL: Accra Lions beat Hearts of Oak to go third
8 hours -
Seek higher grounds as rains intensify – GMet warns
8 hours -
May Day: Sam Ankrah promises to prioritise welfare and well-being of workers if elected president
8 hours -
Bawumia plans door-to-door campaign for 2024 polls
9 hours -
GAF condemns ‘unprovoked’ fatal shooting of soldier in Kasoa land dispute
9 hours -
OSP’s request for money laundering probe against Cecilia Dapaah baseless – AG advises EOCO
9 hours -
Obofour Raphael releases ‘Asem Yi Di Ka’ EP
9 hours -
‘Operation Clean Your Surroundings’: Popular Kenkey joint and public toilets in Takoradi shut down
10 hours -
GFA boss Kurt Okraku graces Dreams FC’s dinner to celebrate CAF Confederation Cup exploits
10 hours