By Helena Selby
State prosecutors prosecuting the fugitive involved in the importation of 77 parcels of cocaine on board the notorious MV Benjamin Vessel, yesterday told the court that the investigation team handling the case had forwarded the duplicate docket to the Attorney General (AG) for advice.
The prosecutor, DSP A.A. Annor, who stated on the last adjournment that investigators of the case were on the verge of rounding-up with the inquiry, mentioned that the first docket was with the AG, and that it was believed that once the duplicate was forwarded to the AG, he will be able to reconcile both, and come out with advice.
The court, presided over by Mrs. Audrey Kocouvie-Tay, once again, denied the accused person bail, following the bail application by his counsel.
Counsel for the accused person pointed out that the duplicate docket was supposed to be presented to the AG as part of the former docket, adding that prosecution was deliberately delaying the trial.
The accused person, Christian Asem Dake, a.k.a Limping Man, pleaded not guilty to charges of conspiracy to commit crime, possession of narcotic drugs without lawful authority, and importing and transportation of narcotic drugs without license.
The case was, therefore, adjourned to March 21, 2012.
The Prosecuting Officer, who presented the facts of the case, had informed the court that on April 26, 2006, intelligence gathered indicated that a shipping vessel called MV Benjamin was on the high seas carrying about 77 parcels of cocaine, and heading towards the West African coast, specifically, Ghana.
He said around midnight the same day, the said vessel docked at Tema/Kpone and discharged the 77 parcels, which were offloaded into a waiting vehicle and taken away.
According to him, investigations led to the arrest of a number of persons, who were put before various courts, tried, and convicted to various prison terms.
He mentioned that during the course of the trials of the suspects, the name of Asem Dake featured prominently as the importer and owner of the 77 parcels.
He, therefore, told the court that ‘Limping Man’ chartered a vessel at the cost of $150,000 to transport another vessel carrying the narcotic drugs from Guinea, and which were then offloaded into the MV Benjamin on the high seas.
The prosecutor said the accused person reportedly carted the 77 parcels from the vessel on its arrival at Kpone.
According to him, on Thursday, February 2, 2012, Asem Dake was arrested at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital upon a tip-off, and consequently arraigned.
The police picked him up and handed him over to the Bureau of National Investigations (BNI) to commence investigations into the case.
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