An Accra High Court has sentenced Kwadwo Fosu, a Ghanaian domiciled in Spain to 10 years imprisonment for expelling 68 pellets of cocaine and heroin.
Kwadwo Fosu is said to have expelled 68 pellets of cocaine and heroin whilst under observation.
Fosu was also ordered by the court to pay a fine of GH¢120,000 or serve an additional three-year jail term if he failed to do so.
Fosu was facing charges of possessing narcotic drugs, attempted exportation of narcotic drugs, bribery of a public official, and engaging in a criminal conspiracy to commit an offence, namely the exportation of narcotic drugs.
The accused person pleaded guilty, and the court convicted him on his plea.
His lawyers appealed for a lesser sentence because he did not waste the court’s time.
Fosu’s accomplice, Haruna Moro, is being held on a charge of engaging in a criminal conspiracy. Moro, through his lawyers, decided to enter plea bargaining.
The facts as narrated by Watkins Adamah, an Assistant State Attorney, indicate that Fosu is a Ghanaian residing in Spain and the Moro resides in Teshie, Accra.
The prosecution said on September 15, 2021, Fosu arrived at the Kotoka International Airport to board a Tap Air Portugal flight bound for Spain.
During departure formalities, Fosu was stopped for profiling by an officer of the Narcotics Control Commission (NACOC).
During the profiling, Fosu voluntarily confessed to the officers of NACOC that he had ingested narcotic drugs which were given to him by Olu and Abu who are currently at large.
The prosecution told the court that Fosu informed them that he met Olu and Abu through one Felix Busia, who introduced him to the narcotic drug.
It said Fosu was to deliver the drugs to the brother of Olu in Spain for a fee of 2,000 Euros.
The prosecution said Fosu paid 300 Euro to the officers of NACOC so they would release him to continue with his travel.
It said Fosu was made to call Olu to say that the officers of NACOC were demanding an additional $1,000 dollars before he would be released.
The prosecution said Olu, who was put on speaker, indicated that he would send his brother with the money and described the clothes he was wearing and where to meet him at the Airport.
It said Moro, just as described by Olu, arrived at the Airport about 10 minutes later and met the officers of NACOC.
The prosecution said he handed over an amount of GHC6,000 which was the equivalent of $1,000 to the officers of NACOC as demanded so that Fosu could be freed and travel to Spain with the drugs.
It said Moro was arrested when he tried to leave the Airport after handing over the money to the officials of NACOC.
The prosecution said after Moro’s arrest, he denied giving money to any officer of NACOC.
It said Fosu was put under observation and he expelled 68 pellets containing powdery substances which were forwarded to the Ghana Standards Authority (GSA) for examination.
The prosecution said a report dated October 11, 2021, from the GSA, indicated that 40 of the pellets were found to be heroine with a percentage purity of 20.2.
It said the remaining 28 pellets tested positive for cocaine with a percentage purity of 36.9.