A physically challenged woman has been dragged before an Accra High Court for allegedly possessing 55 slabs of a substance suspected to be cannabis, also known as ‘Wee.’
Patience Fiamenya, a resident of Abuitor in the Volta Region, stashed the narcotic substance in two baskets and covered them with fish, according to officials of Narcotic Control Board (NACOB).
Her arrest followed intelligence gathered by NACOB that market women were transporting the illicit drug from the banks of the Gemeni River in the Volta Region to some major markets for sale by hiding them in their market wares.
The accused person was on board a vehicle from Gemeni to Sogakope, all in the Volta Region.
Unknown to her, the vehicle was under surveillance by the NACOB officials who stopped it and asked all the passengers to alight.
A search was conducted in the vehicle and the substances were found in two baskets covered with fish in the boot of the vehicle.
She is reported to have told the NACOB officials that the slabs were given to her by one Koku, a Togolese, to deliver to someone in Aflao at a fee of GH¢50.
Appearing before the court yesterday, she pleaded not guilty to one count of possessing narcotic drugs without lawful authority.
Her lawyer, Emmanuel Awu, prayed the court to grant her bail, as she will avail herself for the trial.
According to him, the accused person is a widow who has two young children that depend on her for survival.
But Dorcas Felli, a state attorney, opposed the application for bail, saying given the severity of the offence and the punishment, when found guilty, the accused person may not appear for the trial if granted bail.
The court, presided over by Justice George Boadi, in his ruling, stated that the liberty of an individual is a guaranteed right under the constitution unless compelling reasons are given for the curtailment of that right for the suspected commission of a crime.
He, therefore, granted the accused person bail in the sum of GH¢50,000 with two sureties.
The accused was also ordered to report herself to the police at Dabala in the Volta Region every fortnight until the final determination of the case.
By Gibril Abdul Razak