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Jailed MV Benjamin crew member
passes away
Accra, Aug. 11, Ghanadot/GNA – A
member of the crew on board the MV Benjamin vessel who was
jailed for 25 years for his involvement in the missing 76
parcels of cocaine has died.
Philip Kobina Bruce Arhin, a 49-year old mechanic, died on
Saturday at the infirmary of the Nsawam Medium Prisons.
Arhin had been on admission at Nsawam Government Hospital
but was discharged last Friday. He, however, passed away the
next day. He had served 17 days of the term.
Sources say Arhin until his conviction had been suffering
from jaundice. Arhin could not appear in court on the day
judgment was pronounced.
A source close to the Ghana Prisons Service said the family
of the deceased has been informed.
On July 25, the Fast Track High Court handed down 25 years
jail term on the deceased and four others for their
involvement the missing 76 parcels of cocaine on board MV
Benjamin.
Others include Isaac Arhin, a 49-year-old sailor, Cui Xing
Li, a 44-year old Chinese sailor and Luo Yin Xing, a
49-year-old Chinese sailor and Joseph Kojo Dawson, the
vessel owner.
Isaac Arhin, Philip Arhin, Cui and Luo were charged for
possessing narcotic drugs without authority and engaging in
prohibited business.
Dawson, who is also the Managing Director of Dashment
Company Limited, indirectly without lawful authority and
with the intention of facilitating an enterprise relating to
narcotic drugs, did allow one Asem Darke, a.k.a. Sheriff, to
use his vessel (MV Benjamin/MV Adede II) to import 77
parcels, each containing 30 kilograms of cocaine, into the
country without a license issued by the Ministry of Health.
They all pleaded not guilty.
The court on October 16, 2007 acquitted and discharged Pak
Bok Sil, a 46 year-old Korean engineer, because the
prosecution failed to make a case against him.
The prosecution said on February 6, 2006 the vessel set sail
and on the high seas, the crew met another vessel, which
discharged cartons of cocaine into it and MV Benjamin was
renamed Adede II in Monrovia.
The cartons of cocaine were later off-loaded into two small
boats and sent to an unknown destination.
When the vessel docked at Tema breakwaters, security
agencies arrested the crew and when the vessel was searched
one carton containing 30 slabs was retrieved from the hatch.
GNA
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