‘Wee’ Rastamen Get 7 years

Two Rastamen, Adjetey Sowah and Isaac Nii Quaye Kotei, were yesterday sentenced to seven years imprisonment by an Accra Circuit Court for possessing narcotic substances.

Sowah was found guilty by the court for possessing quantities of dried leaves suspected to be Indian hemp without authority contrary to Section 2 (1) of PNDC Law 236/90.

Quaye Kotei was also sentenced to three years imprisonment for abetting Sowah to possess the substance contrary to Section 20 (1) of ACT 29/60.

The court presided over by Francis Obiri, however, remanded the third accused, Boye Martei, who pleaded not guilty to the charge of possessing the narcotic drug without authority.

Presenting the facts of the case, Chief Supt. Duuti Tuaruka said the complainants in the case are police officers at the Teshie District Police Headquarters while the accused persons are an electrician, mason and fisherman living at Teshie, a suburb of Accra.

He said on March 7, 2014, the Teshie District Police Command led by the District Commander organized swoops at Teshie and its environs adding that the team went to Teshie Adoem where Sowah and Quaye Kotei were spotted with some quantity of dried leaves suspected to be Indian hemp.

Chief Supt Tuaruka averred that Quaye Kotei was assisting Sowah by using scissors to cut the stuff into a tray but Sowah was arrested on the spot while Quaye Kotei tried to run away but he was chased and arrested by the police.

He said at about 5:10 pm the same day, the team proceeded to a usual “wee” base at Teshie Tafo around the gutter and arrested Martei with a black bag containing 132 wrappers of dried leaves suspected to be narcotic drugs.

Chief Supt. Tuaruka further told the court that Sowah, in his caution statement, admitted the offence but Quaye Kotei and Martei denied the offence.

Counsel for the accused persons, George Asamani pleaded with the trial judge to deal in “most leniently” with his clients.