An 18-year old man allegedly caught with wrappers of dried leaves suspected to be cannabis in the Ohwim Forest Reserve, has been placed in prison custody by a Kumasi Circuit Court.

The plea of Peter Boakye, alias “Jupiter”, was not taken and he would make his next appearance on December 8.

He was arrested by officers of the Wildlife Division of the Forestry Commission during routine patrols in the reserve.

Police Superintendent Emmanuel K. Akunnor told the court presided over by Mr. William Boampong that this happened on November 9, at about midday.

The officers were on normal rounds to protect the forest from encroachers, when they spotted the accused, together with three others, smoking a substance suspected to be cannabis.

The four took to their heels on seeing the officers, leaving behind a polythene bag containing a large quantity of the dried leaves in wrappers.

They were given a hot chase and Boakye was arrested as the others escaped.

He was escorted to the Asuofua police station together with the exhibits.

The prosecution said samples of the substance had been sent for forensic examination.

Counsel for the accused, Tony Mensah-Brako, earlier appealed to the court to grant his client bail and said he had gone to the forest to hunt for birds and was not part of the group seen with the suspected cannabis.

He added that Boakye was found at a different location of the reserve, far from where the three were, and was innocent of what he has been accused of.