N/ER: Two Convicted For Possession of ‘Red’
Two persons have been convicted for the possession of one thousand, one hundred and ninety-five (1,195) boxes of tramadol hydrochloride 120mg, popularly called “Red” in the North East Region.
They were among six persons who were arrested on September 18 after they were busted at Gbintiri near Nalerigu.
The six were arraigned before the Nalerigu Circuit Court on Friday, September 19, a police statement said as it recounted how the prosecution disclosed that 100 boxes of tramadol were found in the possession of Mumuni Iddrisu and Alhassan Braimah.
“It was further discovered that the two had also concealed over 4,500 packs of the restricted drug in 25 five-litre yellow gallons.”
On their second appearance in court on September 26, the two, Mumuni and Alhassan, pleaded guilty to two counts of conspiracy to commit a crime and possession of restricted drugs without lawful authority and were convicted on their own plea.
Exoneration and Conviction
Meanwhile, the remaining four, namely Yakubu Muntaka, Abdulai Shakur, Mumuni Yakubu and Moses Ayorik, were discharged; they were found to have no links to the crime.
The Nalerigu Circuit court presided over by His Lordship Justice Francis Asobayire sentenced each of the two convicted persons to ten years in prison on each count.
The court also fined each of the two convicts five thousand (5000) penalty units, equivalent to sixty thousand Ghana Cedis (Ghs60,000.00) and in default of payment of the fine, they are to serve further ten years imprisonment.
The convicts will serve their sentence at the Gambaga local prison.
Caution
The police used the occasion to caution all persons engaged in the illicit drug business in the Region to put a stop to the practice.
“Such individuals or groups of persons would be made to face the full rigours of the law when caught,” it vowed.
Story by Hajara Fuseini
click to read more: https://opemsuo.com/author/hajara-fuseini/
