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A witness in the case involving hiplife artiste Kwaw Kese has told the Kumasi Circuit Court that the accused confessed to police officers who arrested him that he was a known ‘wee’ smoker.
The Divisional Crime Officer of the Manhyia Divisional Command of the Ghana Police, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Otu Acheampong, said last Thursday in court that when the accused was confronted, “he boldly told us that everyone knows he is a wee smoker.”
Mr Acheampong told the court, presided over by Mr William Boampon, that on the said night, he was sitting in front of his wife’s shop, some few metres away from where Kwaw Kese and six others were sitting smoking the substance.
He said the men were passing around the substance, which he suspected to be Indian hemp.
Kwaw Kese has pleaded not guilty to the charge of publicly smoking a substance suspected to be Indian hemp without lawful authority and is currently on bail.
Led in evidence by Superintendent of Police Emmanuel Akonnor, the witness further told the court that he sought the assistance of two police officers who were on duty at a nearby checkpoint to arrest the accused.
However, he said, the accused resisted arrest and he had to call in reinforcement from Asokwa police before they were able to arrest him.
Asked by counsel for the accused, Nana Kwasi Boaitey, how he knew that the substance was narcotics, Mr Acheampong told the court that it was from experience and the thickness of the smoke that emanated.
He said he could also differentiate between the scent of ‘wee’ from that of cigarette. Besides, he said how they were passing the substance among themselves clearly indicated that it was “wee”.
Counsel further inquired from the witness why they did not arrest the others who were with Kwaw Kese.
In answer, Mr Acheampong said before the police would make any arrest, “you have to think of prosecution and conviction and in the instant case, the accused was the one holding the substance during the arrest”.
He denied the claim by counsel that the accused was targeted for arrest by the police, thus their decision to allow the other accomplices go scot free.
The case was adjourned to April 9, 2015 for continuation of the cross-examination.
Source: Graphic Online
