The Gbetsile Circuit Court has convicted two police officers to a cumulative 30 years behind bars following their guilty verdict on drug trafficking charges.
Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Nasiru Amadu and General Corporal (G/CPL) Emmanuel Mintah, service number 51836, were found guilty on Friday, November 28, 2025, nearly two years after their November 2023 arrest. Mrs Eleanor Kakra Banes Botchway presided over the case at the Gbetsile Circuit Court.
The two officers each received sentences of five years and 10 years respectively on separate charges, with both sentences running concurrently. The court also imposed fines of 10,000 penalty units, amounting to 120,000 Ghanaian cedis. Should they fail to pay these fines, each officer will serve an additional three years on top of their existing 10 year prison term.
Prosecuting ASP Ernest Kuofie explained that officers performing snap check duty had received intelligence about a Nissan Navara vehicle with registration number GP 727 carrying narcotic drugs from Ho toward Accra. The two accused officers arrived at the Afienya District checkpoint around 19:15 hours on November 19, 2023, where they were stopped and searched.
The search uncovered eight sacks holding 541 compressed parcels of substances suspected to be narcotic drugs. At the time, Amadu was 48 years old and served as second in command at Sakumono District Police Headquarters, while Mintah, aged 43, worked under him as a service driver.
Court testimony revealed that a family relation of Mintah named Oluman, who resided in Ashaiman Tulaku and dealt in narcotics, had initiated contact. Oluman asked Mintah to help transport Indian hemp from Peki Tsibu in the Volta Region to Tulaku for payment. Mintah then brought Amadu into the arrangement, with Amadu subsequently negotiating terms directly with Oluman.
After finalizing their agreement, the two officers drove the official police vehicle from Sakumono to a forested area around Peki Tsibu. There they collected the illegal cargo from individuals waiting in a Mercedes Benz bus before beginning their journey back. Police intelligence intercepted them during the transport operation.
Investigation findings presented in court showed this wasn’t their first involvement in such criminal activity. Evidence indicated the November 19, 2023 incident marked the second occasion the accused officers had participated in illegal drug transportation operations.
The officers faced charges under sections 23(1) of the Criminal Offences Act 1960 for conspiracy to commit crime and section 37(2)(b) of the Narcotic Control Commission Act 2020 (Act 1019) for unlawful possession of narcotic drugs for trafficking purposes.
Back in November 2023, the same court had granted both officers bail totaling 200,000 cedis with three sureties each. The case was then adjourned to December 20, 2023, and has proceeded through the judicial system since that time.
This conviction underscores ongoing efforts by Ghana’s judicial system to tackle drug trafficking, particularly when it involves corruption within law enforcement ranks. The substantial sentences reflect the serious view courts take of such breaches of public trust by officers sworn to uphold the law.