Government
unhappy with drug barons acquittal
By Awudu Salami Sule,
Ghanadot
Accra, July 25, Ghanadot -
Attorney General and Minister of Justice,Mrs Betty Mould
Iddrisu, has said, the acquittal of two alleged drug barons
by the Appeals Court after their conviction is a dent on
government’s fight against drugs.
Kwabena Amaning, alias Tagor, and Alhaji Issah Abass were in
2007 incarcerated for 15 years with hard labour by an Accra
Fast Track High Court for drug related offences.
On Thursday July 23, 2009,that sentence was however quashed
in a unanimous Appeals Court decision by three judges, who
concluded that the trial Fast Track High Court erred in
convicting the two because the prosecution failed to adduce
sufficient evidence to prove their guilt beyond all
reasonable doubt.
In a radio interview today, the Attorney General said, the
government has made a commitment to fight the drug menace in
the country and the ruling by the Appeals court is a blow to
the government.
“It is a matter we take very seriously in law. It is a
matter we take very seriously in the fight against
narcotics, especially looking at the position of Ghana in
recent times,” the A-G said.
She said the government will read Thursday's ruling
thoroughly and will consider all options available under the
law, promising she will not let this case rest at all.
Mrs Betty Mould admitted the judgment has the tendency to
worsen the drugs trade in the country. "But the state has
the responsibility to seek justice in all cases, if it has
enough reason to believe wrongs have been perpetrated" she
added.
Asked if the state will not appeal against the decision, the
Attorney General said that was not an option at the moment.
Betty Mould said the decision came as a surprise, as the
state had no illusion of winning the case.
"The state will follow the due process of law and go to the
Supreme Court to overturn the decision", she hinted.
Ghanadot
