The Circuit Court in Tema, presided over by Her Ladyship Aleanor Kakra Barnes Botchway, has convicted Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Nasiru Amadu and Corporal Emmanuel Mintah after nearly four years of legal proceedings.
Case Background
According to the prosecutor, ASP Ernest Kuofie, the case began in 2023 when a police officer stationed at the Afienya District Command filed a report about the suspicious activities of the two officers.
At the time, Amadu, 48, served as the second-in-command at the Sakumono District Police Headquarters, while Mintah, 43, worked directly under him as a service driver.
On November 19, 2023, a snap-check operation received intelligence that a Nissan Navara with registration number GP 727 was transporting narcotics from Ho to Accra. At around 7:15 p.m., the vehicle arrived at the checkpoint with the two officers on board. A search uncovered eight sacks containing 541 compressed parcels believed to be narcotic substances.
Further investigations found that Mintah had connections with a relative known as Oluman, a narcotics dealer residing in Ashaiman Tulaku. On that day, Mintah had been contracted by Oluman to transport Indian hemp from Peki Tsibu in the Volta Region to Tulaku. Mintah then involved Amadu, who also communicated with Oluman to finalize the job.
After settling the details, the officers drove the police vehicle from Sakumono to a forest near Peki Tsibu, where they collected the drugs from an awaiting Benz bus. Their arrest followed shortly after as they attempted to transport the substances. It later emerged that this was not their first time engaging in such illegal activities.
The seized items were sent to the Forensic Crime Laboratory for examination.
Court’s Decision
The court concluded that both officers unlawfully possessed and attempted to traffic narcotic drugs, violating Section 23(1) of the Criminal Offences Act, 1960, and Section 37(2)(b) of the Narcotic Control Commission Act, 2020 (Act 1019).
ASP Amadu received a 10-year sentence, while Corporal Mintah was handed 5 years, both to run concurrently. Additionally, each officer was fined 10,000 penalty units (GH₵120,000). Failure to pay will result in an extra three-year jail term.
