Estate developer remanded for alleged possession of assorted drugs 

An Accra High Court has remanded Chima Uchechukwu, an estate developer. He is accused of possessing various drugs in Oyarifa, Accra.

Uchechukwu was arrested by the Narcotics Control Commission (NACOC) on March 18, 2025. He allegedly had 192 slabs of cocaine with a purity of 48.79 to 70.42 percent. He also had 57 pellets of cocaine with a purity of 49.63 percent.

NACOC seized a polybag containing heroin and morphine as well. The purities for these drugs were 18.65 and 17.57 percent, respectively.

Uchechukwu faces three charges: possession of narcotic drugs without lawful authority and using property for narcotic offences. In court, he denied the charges through his lawyer, Mr. Paul Asibi Abariga.

The prosecution, led by Senior State Attorney Mr. Adama Watkins, requested a new charge sheet. The defense argued that some allegations were false and claimed the money found belonged to Uchechukwu's wife.

He plans to file a bail application at the next hearing. NACOC began investigating a drug trafficking operation in 2023 involving Uchechukwu.

This investigation linked him to drugs retrieved from two convicts arrested in 2024. Uchechukwu was identified in early 2025 and placed under surveillance.

On March 18, he was arrested at his home where no drugs were found but large sums of money were seized instead. This money is suspected to be from drug trafficking activities.

A search at another property linked to him uncovered more drugs: 192 slabs of cocaine, 57 pellets, and a polybag containing compressed substances that tested positive for cocaine and heroin.

The Ghana Standards Authority confirmed the drug purity levels in an April report dated April 4, 2025.

The prosecution claims Uchechukwu is part of a larger criminal enterprise involved in drug trafficking. They allege he has acquired properties and luxury vehicles under investigation.

Efforts are ongoing to identify his accomplices in this case. The case will continue before Justice Ruby Aryeetey on May 2, 2025.

Source: GNA