An Accra High Court has remanded two South African nationals and a Nigerian into lawful custody for allegedly possessing more than 16 kilograms of methamphetamine.
The three accused, all female, reportedly concealed the illicit drugs in two identical suitcases. Their names have been withheld.
Presiding over the case, Justice Mrs. Kizita Koowa Quarshie ordered their remand to facilitate further investigations. The accused are scheduled to reappear before the court on February 11, 2025. Their pleas were not taken, nor were the charges and facts read in court. Justice Quarshie also directed the accused to secure legal representation before their next appearance.
Senior State Attorney Mr. Watkins Adamah, representing the prosecution, requested the court to remand the suspects into the custody of the Narcotics Control Commission (NACOC) to aid ongoing investigations.
“Our prayer is to cause the remand of the first, second, and third accused persons into the custody of NACOC pending investigations,” Mr. Adamah told the court.
According to him, the first and second accused, both South Africans, traveled through Rwanda to Ghana carrying identical suitcases. The suitcases were later found to contain over 16 kilograms of methamphetamine hidden inside.
A controlled delivery operation involving the two South African nationals led to the arrest of the third suspect, a Nigerian woman, who had reportedly traveled from Nigeria to Ghana to meet them. Authorities suspect she was meant to exchange similar suitcases containing the narcotics.
Mr. Adamah further disclosed that preliminary investigations had linked additional individuals to the case, and NACOC required more time to track them down. Additionally, the Ghana Standards Authority is expected to confirm the nature of the substances seized from the accused.
Granting the prosecution’s request, the court ordered that the accused remain in custody for two weeks while investigations continue.
