Sunday, August 31, 2008

TWO WEE PEDDLERS IN TROUBLE (MIRROR, PAGE 35)

From Samuel Duodu, Duayaw-Nkwanta

A 38-year-old trader, based at Duayaw-Nkwanta, the capital of the Tano North District in the Brong Ahafo Region, who sold dried leaves suspected to be Indian hemp (wee) to a student has been remanded by the Duayaw Nkwanta Circuit Court for processing nacortic drugs and assault.
The trader, Madam Abena Kessewa, who also operated a drinking spot, was remanded in prison custody, together with one Kwadwo Owusu, a farmer and an accomplice on the same charges.
The two accused persons, whose pleas were not taken are to re-appear before the court to be presided over by Mr Justice Amo Yartey on September 4, 2008.
The dried leaves, which were suspected to be Indian hemp, were retrieved from the two accused persons by the police, and had since been sent to the police forensic laboratory at the police headquarters in Accra for testing.
The facts of the case as presented in court were that the complainant was a trader at Duayaw Nkwanta, while Kessewa and Owusu, the first and second accused persons, were a trader and farmer respectively, also resided at Duayaw Nkwanta.
On June 5, 2008 around 9.30am, the complainant was informed that her brother, a student, was seen buying dried leaves, suspected to be wee from the first accused.
The complainant, therefore, went to the first accused’s drinking spot to stop the brother, who was a student, from buying the ‘stuff’.
The complainant, therefore, collected the stuff with the intent to send it to the police station, but the first accused person held the neck of the complainant while the second accused person removed a metal object from his pocket and hit the hands of the complainant and subjected her to severe beating, until they retrieved the substance from her.
The complainant, however, reported the case to the police and they were both arrested.
A search was conducted at the spot of the accused person and two maxi bags containing the dried leaves and some pieces of paper used as wrappers were found.
After police investigations, they were charged with the offence and the substance retrieved had been sent to the Police Forensic Laboratory for testing.

Sunday, August 24, 2008

WEE PEDDLER JAILED 20 YEARS (MIRROR, PAGE 27)

From Samuel Duodu,
Duayaw-Nkwanta

The Duayaw-Nkwanta Circuit Court in the Tano North District of the Brong Ahafo Region presided over by Mr Justice Emmanuel Amo Yartey has sentenced a "wee" (Indian hemp) seller at Bechem in the Tano South District to 20 years’ imprisonment for possessing narcotic drugs.
The accused, Madam Francisca Gyasi, 40, who was standing trial for two different cases, but on the same charges of possessing narcotic drugs, was sentenced 10 years for each case bringing the total number of years to serve the prison sentence to 20 years.
Francisca, who pleaded guilty to the charges, asked to be forgiven, but the trial judge in his response said the she did not deserve any leniency because she sold her 'stuff' to the public including basic schoolchildren.
According to Mr Justice Yartey, the court gave her a stiff sentence to serve as a deterrent to those engaging in such business which only goes a long way to destroy the lives of the youth.
The presiding judge also ordered that the dried leaves should be burnt in the presence of the police commander, the circuit court judge and the district chief executive.
The facts of the case are that the complainants in the case were police officers at Bechem, while the convict a trader, also residing at Bechem.
On October 25, 2006 the accused was arrested by the police with dried leaves suspected to be Indian hemp and a forensic report received from the Police Forensic Laboratory at the Police Headquarters in Accra proved that the dried leaves were wee.
On October 3, 2007 around 1.00 p.m., the police went to look for the accused who was then on court bail pending forensic report and upon arrival at the convict's house the police saw some youngsters dressed in school uniforms in the house. Immediately they saw the police they took to their heels.
The police became suspicious and therefore decided to have a look at a bowl beside the accused who was then in the kitchen washing. However, the accused claimed the bowl contained food, but when the police opened the bowl it contained 27 wrappers of the dried leaves later certified as wee.
The accused was arrested and taken to the police station with the bowl as exhibit. The Bechem District Police Commander ordered his men to go back to the house to conduct further search. When that was done it led to the discovery of some dried leaves and seeds in a big polythene bag in the room of the accused.
After thorough investigation the convict was charged with the offence and put before the court.

Monday, August 11, 2008

BA UNITED CONGRATULATES BEREKUM ARSENALS (NSEMPA, BACK PAGE)

By Samuel Duodu, Sunyani

THE Management Team of Brong Ahafo (BA) United Football Club (FC) has congratulated the management and playing body of Berekum Arsenals for the club's outstanding performance in the just ended One Touch Premier League.
BA United, however, expressed the hope that the traditional bonds of co-operation between the two clubs would be strengthened by Berekum Arsenal's remarkable achievement.
In a congratulatory message signed by Mr Charles Kwadwo-Ntim a.k.a, Micky Charles, it said "once again, you have justified yourselves as worthy ambassadors of the region, and brought honour not only to yourselves, but to the entire people of Brong Ahafo."
"We wish you success, as you continue your journey into Africa. We are convinced you would exploit the experiences of the past, to conquer Africa this time around. May the good Lord be with you and guide you to succeed in all your endeavours,” the message added.