Exopa Boss confessed to dealing in drugs • NACOB officer tells court

Thursday, May 13, 2010 (Page 3 Lead)
AN officer of the Narcotics Control Board (NACOB) yesterday told the Accra Fast Track High Court that the Chief Executive of the Exopa Modelling Agency, Ibrahim Sima, had confessed to dealing in narcotic drugs.
Detective Chief A. K. Sovor said Sima made the confession in a vehicle while on their way to his house to retrieve instruments he had used to cut open three tubers of yam before stuffing cocaine in them.
However, Sima's lawyer, Mr James Agalga, challenged the police officer during cross examination and maintained that the officer did not have any documentary proof of the alleged confessions.
Sima, 39, was arrested at the Kotoka International Airport on September 7, 2009 after security officials had found three tubers of yam containing cocaine in his baggage while going through departure formalities for a trip to Germany.
He has pleaded not guilty to two counts of possessing narcotic drugs and attempting to export narcotic drugs without lawful authority and is currently in prison custody.
Led by a Principal State Attorney, Mr George K. Ofori, in his evidence in chief, Mr Sovor said while in Sima's residence, he showed him the drawer in which he kept the knife which was used in cutting open the yam.
Witness said Sima also showed him and his nine other colleagues a partly used super glue which was used to seal the yams and a scraper which was used to scoop the yam to make way for the cocaine.
Mr Sovor, who is also the head of investigations at NACOB, said the retrieved items were currently in the possession of the NACOB.
During cross examination, Mr Sovor told the court that he was not present when the accused person was arrested, adding that he did not personally interrogate him and could not tell the method which was used in interrogating him.
Counsel: You have no record of the alleged confession.
Mr Sovor: It is not true my Lord. Mr Agalga: Where is the record of interrogation.
Mr Sovor: Everything is in the docket.
Mr Sovor said he did not see yams at the accused person's residence although defence counsel had suggested a prosecution witness had earlier stated that yams were found in Sima's residence.
Sima was arrested after NACOB officials had found that three out of four tubers of yam in his baggage had been cut open and re-sealed.
The three tubers were found to contain cocaine, a narcotic drug.