Nigerian In Court Over $2.1m Seized Drugs

Uchechukwu Chima

 

Uchechukwu Chima, a 56-year-old Nigerian who was arrested in Ghana over suspected narcotic substances worth $2.1 million was hauled before a High Court in Accra yesterday.

The Office of the Attorney General has however, prayed the court to adjourn the case to allow them file a new charge sheet against the accused.

Watkins Adama, a Senior State Attorney told the court yesterday that the Office has received a copy of the report on the substance from the Ghana Standards Authority, hence required time to file new charge sheet for the plea of the accused to be taken.

Justice Ruby Aryeetey, the presiding judge was not happy with the development and expressed her reservation, indicating that the prosecution could grant the suspect enquiry bail and arraign him when they are ready.

“I won’t entertain the accused person in custody. You bring him when you know you’re not ready. You’re the one doing the investigations. You have the power to admit him to bail. Don’t bring him and make it look like I’m the one not granting him bail,” she told the prosecution.”

Paul Abariga, counsel for the accused urged the prosecution not to take the incarceration of the accused for granted by asking for multiple adjournments.

He pleaded with the court to take the plea of the accused person based on the charge sheet currently before the court, adding that the prosecution can always substitute and or amend their charges anytime they deem it appropriate.

“But the gimmick should cease. Especially at this juncture when the accused person is deemed innocent,” Mr. Abariga added.

Justice Aryeetey adjourned the case to April 17, 2025, for the prosecution to file the new charge sheet.

Arrest

Uchechukwu Chima who had been on the radar of the Narcotic Control Commission NACOC) for a long time, was arrested at Oyarifa, a suburb of Accra late last month.

The arrest followed an intelligence-led operation by NACOC operatives on Tuesday, March 18, 2025.

A search conducted by the NACOC team at the suspect’s hideout uncovered substances suspected to be narcotic drugs.

Field tests conducted on the suspected substance proved positive for cocaine and heroin, both narcotic drugs.

The suspected narcotic substances, with a total weight of about 192kg of cocaine and 0.42kg of heroin, are estimated at a street value of two million, one hundred and twenty-one thousand, six hundred and sixty United States dollars (US$2.1 million).

NACOC by this seizure and arrest, has taken this substantial quantity of drugs from the street, saving millions of lives of people who would have otherwise perished from abusing these hard drugs.

NACOC, in a release following the arrest, has restated its commitment to making Ghana an unprofitable destination for drug trafficking and thus protecting the safety and well-being of all Ghanaians and the international community.

BY Gibril Abdul Razak

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