Disappearance of 77 parcels of cocaine..Case transferred to High Court, Friday, May 18, 2012, (page 3)

The case of the alleged cocaine baron, Sheriff Asem Darkey, who is said to have played a major role in the shipment and disappearance of 77 parcels of cocaine in 2006, has been transferred to the High Court for trial.

The Accra Circuit Court, presided over by Mr Francis Obiri, obliged the request made by the prosecutor from the Attorney-General’s (A-G’s) Department, Mr Kwabena Owusu Ameyaw, for the case to be transferred, since the original case was tried by the High Court.

A police prosecutor, Deputy Superintendent of Police Mr A.A. Annor, had earlier informed the Circuit Court in March this year that the case docket was to be sent to the (A-G’s) office for advice.

He had explained that the advice was necessary because the case also involved other persons who had already been dealt with by the High Court.

When the case was called yesterday, Mr Ameyaw told the court that the A-G had advised that the case be sent to the High Court for prosecution.

The accused person, who had been in hiding since 2006, was arrested at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital upon a tip off on February 2, 2012.

He has been charged with conspiracy, importation and exportation of narcotic drugs, to which he has pleaded not guilty.

Darkey was indicted for allegedly paying $3,000 to a detective sergeant to facilitate his escape.

According to the prosecution, about midnight on April 26, 2006, a vessel, the MV Benjamin, reportedly carrying about 77 parcels of cocaine weighing 30 kilogrammes, docked at Kpone/Tema and discharged the cocaine into a waiting vehicle and was taken away by the accused.

In the course of investigations, the prosecution said Sheriff’s name featured prominently as the importer and/or owner of the drug and the person who chartered the vessel, at a cost of $150,000, to tow another vessel from Guinea to Ghana.

The disappearance of the cocaine led to the constitution of the Georgina Wood Committee and the subsequent trial of persons alleged to have played various roles in it.

In July 2008, an Accra Fast Track High Court, presided over by Mr Justice Anin Yeboah (now a Supreme Court judge), convicted and sentenced Joseph Kojo Dawson, the owner of the MV Benjamin and Managing Director of Dashment Company Limited; Isaac Arhin, sailor; Phillip Bruce Arhin, mechanic; Cui Xian Li, the vessel engineer, and Luo Yui Xing, sailor, all crew members of the MV Benjamin, to 25 years each in prison with hard labour.

Bruce-Arhin, however, died barely three weeks after his conviction.

The five were found guilty on charges of using property for narcotic offences, engaging in prohibited business relating to narcotics and possession of narcotic drugs without lawful authority.

A sixth accused person, Pak Bok Sil, a Korean, was on October 16, 2007 acquitted and discharged by the court, which ruled that the prosecution had failed to prove a case against him.

Following the committee’s recommendations, Kwabena Amaning, alias Tagor, and Alhaji Issah were tried and sentenced to 15 years' imprisonment each with hard labour for conspiracy and engaging in prohibited business relating to narcotic drugs.

However, they were released on July 25, 2009 when they appealed against the High Court’s decision.

For aiding Darkey to flee with 2,280 kilogrammes of cocaine, three policemen were, in December 2007, sentenced to a total of 75 years’ imprisonment with hard labour by the Accra Fast Track High Court.

Sergeant David Nyarko, Detective Corporal Dwamena Yabson and General Lance Corporal Peter Bondorin were sentenced to serve 25 years imprisonment each after the court had found them guilty of receiving an unspecified amount in US dollars from Darkey and allowing him to flee.

Bondorin died in prison a few months after his conviction.

Although the Georgina Wood Committee recommended that Darkey be prosecuted, he proved elusive until his arrest.