?1bn bail for Tsibu Darko
Gilbert Boyefio
10/01/2007
A fast Track High Court in Accra yesterday granted bail of ?1 billion with two sureties to Prince Tsibu Darko, a Ghanaian businessman who owns three fishing vessels at Tema, and is a suspected cocaine baron.
The accused was not in court due to ill health.
He is to hand over his passport to the Registrar of the court and report once a week to the investigator at the CID Headquarters.
The court ruled that the Director of the Nyaho Clinic, where Prince Tsibu Darko is receiving medical attention, should inform the Registrar of the court and the investigator of any discharge of the accused. It further asked that the court be made aware of any transfer of the accused to any medical facility.
The bail was granted on the grounds of lack of facts and evidence and not on medical grounds as pleaded by the legal team for the accused.
Giving the ruling, the Judge observed that the facts presented so far by the prosecution shows that they do not have enough evidence to deny the accused bail.
The judge said despite the constraints the prosecution is facing in investigating the case, it should by now be able to tell the court the location in Europe where the cocaine was seized, the mode of transfer of the goods, the police involvement and the source of security.
"I have time and time stated that in cases where narcotics are involved the State security apparatus should not speculate,? the Judge added.
Explaining why bail could not be granted on medical grounds, the Judge said the accused's ailment is not life threatening and questioned the credibility of the medical document presented by the hospital, since it is easy nowadays to get a medical report from a hospital.
At the last hearing, Yvonne Obuobisa, a Chief State Attorney, told the court that the prosecution was still conducting investigations into the matter, but would not oppose bail, if counsel applied for it.
She was however of the view that the bail terms should be such that the accused would be readily available when the trial resumed.
However, the Judge decided that counsel for the accused should file the bail application, for bail to be granted, after the motion for bail had been argued in court.
On December 27, 2006, the legal team of the accused applied for bail for their client, but this was denied.
Prince Tsibu Darko, Managing Director of PT Ventures, owns the plush Koreana Hotel at Tema Community 12. He also owns a forex bureau as well as a fleet of luxurious and expensive vehicles, including two Toyota Lexus, one Nissan Infinity and an 18- seater stretch limousine.
The facts, as presented to the court were that in 2006, the accused person exported 3,700 kgs of cocaine into a European country, which were intercepted and eventually seized by the police.
He has since pleaded not guilty to the charge of dealing in prohibited business relating to narcotic drugs.
The substantive case has been adjourned to January 24, 2007.
10/01/2007
A fast Track High Court in Accra yesterday granted bail of ?1 billion with two sureties to Prince Tsibu Darko, a Ghanaian businessman who owns three fishing vessels at Tema, and is a suspected cocaine baron.
The accused was not in court due to ill health.
He is to hand over his passport to the Registrar of the court and report once a week to the investigator at the CID Headquarters.
The court ruled that the Director of the Nyaho Clinic, where Prince Tsibu Darko is receiving medical attention, should inform the Registrar of the court and the investigator of any discharge of the accused. It further asked that the court be made aware of any transfer of the accused to any medical facility.
The bail was granted on the grounds of lack of facts and evidence and not on medical grounds as pleaded by the legal team for the accused.
Giving the ruling, the Judge observed that the facts presented so far by the prosecution shows that they do not have enough evidence to deny the accused bail.
The judge said despite the constraints the prosecution is facing in investigating the case, it should by now be able to tell the court the location in Europe where the cocaine was seized, the mode of transfer of the goods, the police involvement and the source of security.
"I have time and time stated that in cases where narcotics are involved the State security apparatus should not speculate,? the Judge added.
Explaining why bail could not be granted on medical grounds, the Judge said the accused's ailment is not life threatening and questioned the credibility of the medical document presented by the hospital, since it is easy nowadays to get a medical report from a hospital.
At the last hearing, Yvonne Obuobisa, a Chief State Attorney, told the court that the prosecution was still conducting investigations into the matter, but would not oppose bail, if counsel applied for it.
She was however of the view that the bail terms should be such that the accused would be readily available when the trial resumed.
However, the Judge decided that counsel for the accused should file the bail application, for bail to be granted, after the motion for bail had been argued in court.
On December 27, 2006, the legal team of the accused applied for bail for their client, but this was denied.
Prince Tsibu Darko, Managing Director of PT Ventures, owns the plush Koreana Hotel at Tema Community 12. He also owns a forex bureau as well as a fleet of luxurious and expensive vehicles, including two Toyota Lexus, one Nissan Infinity and an 18- seater stretch limousine.
The facts, as presented to the court were that in 2006, the accused person exported 3,700 kgs of cocaine into a European country, which were intercepted and eventually seized by the police.
He has since pleaded not guilty to the charge of dealing in prohibited business relating to narcotic drugs.
The substantive case has been adjourned to January 24, 2007.
Comments
Post a Comment