A 40-YEAR-old trader who was caught with 13 wrappers of narcotic drugs suspected to be Indian hemp has been sentenced to three years� imprisonment by an Accra Circuit Court.
Isaac Quansah pleaded guilty with explanation, at the court presided over by Francis Obiri, to a charge of possessing narcotic drugs without lawful authority.
The accused person, before he was convicted on his own plea, begged the judge to deal leniently with him because he only used the drug to grow his dreadlocks.
The judge, who was not convinced by this excuse, handed him the jail term with a fine of GH�1,200. After the conviction, Isaac was spotted shedding tears.
Chief Inspector J.K. Anim, presenting the facts, told the court that on June 19, 2012, at about 12:50am, a police patrol team code-named �Monitor Five� went on its usual patrols.
While on duty, the police officers met Isaac on his bicycle at Dansoman market area and suspected him of carrying narcotic drugs due to his demeanour.
The team therefore stopped Isaac and when a search was conducted on him, 13 wrappers of dried leaves suspected to be Indian hemp were found concealed in a black purse in his pocket.
He was subsequently arrested and also sent to his house, where a further search in his room revealed some black seeds concealed in black polythene bags. The seeds were suspected to be Indian hemp seeds.
Isaac reportedly admitted the offence and informed the police that he bought them from an unknown person at Accra Newtown, but failed to lead the police to arrest that person.
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