Four persons have been dragged before an Accra High Court for their alleged involvement in the importation of cannabis sativa concealed inside a gift box without lawful authority, following investigations by Ghana’s Narcotics Control Commission, NACOC. One of the accused persons, Godfred Mishiame, a motor rider, is currently in custody and standing trial, while three others identified as Zion Sam Kish, Prince Sefa Boakye, and Dennis Smith are said to be at large.
The accused persons have been charged with conspiracy to commit crime and the importation of narcotic drugs without a licence issued by the Minister of Health, contrary to Ghana’s narcotics laws. Mishiame is facing additional charges, including four counts of possession of narcotic drugs for trafficking without lawful authority. The prosecution alleged that further narcotic substances were found in his possession during a search of his residence.
Mishiame has pleaded not guilty to all the charges preferred against him. After his plea, the High Court admitted him to bail in the sum of GH¢100,000, with three sureties. The court ruled that two of the sureties must be justified, while one of them must be a public servant earning not less than GH¢30,000. The trial judge also directed the prosecution to file its disclosures on or before January 12, 2026. Mishiame was equally ordered to file the list of witnesses he intends to rely on by the same date.
According to the facts presented by the prosecution, officers of the Narcotics Control Commission stationed at the Ghana Post Office in Accra intercepted a suspicious parcel on August 4, 2025, during a routine inspection of inbound Express Mail Service, EMS, parcels. The parcel, which was declared as containing “varied clothing,” reportedly raised suspicion, prompting further scrutiny by the officers.
The prosecution said that the parcel was immediately flagged for investigation due to intelligence and indicators suggesting it could contain prohibited substances. The following day, August 5, 2025, NACOC officers arrested a clearing agent identified as Joshua Mills, who was allegedly found in possession of the parcel’s tracking number and an authority note linked to the shipment.
During interrogation, Mills reportedly told investigators that he had been instructed by one of the accused persons, Zion Sam Kish, to clear the parcel on his behalf. The parcel was later opened in Mills’ presence, and officers allegedly found five vacuum-sealed plant-like substances concealed inside. A field test conducted on the substances reportedly tested positive for Delta-9 Tetrahydrocannabinol, THC, which is a prohibited narcotic substance.
Further investigations revealed that Mills had been contracted by Kish to clear the parcel and deliver it to a woman identified as Esther Naa Dede Armah at a hostel located in Haatso, a suburb of Accra. Mills, however, denied knowledge of the contents of the parcel and was said to have cooperated fully with investigators.
The court was told that Esther, when questioned by NACOC officers, stated that she had been instructed by Kish to receive the parcel on his behalf. She reportedly said the parcel was to be collected later by a delivery person. Esther also denied knowing what the parcel contained and was said to have assisted investigators with information.
Later on the same day, Mishiame allegedly arrived at the Haatso location on a motorbike to collect the parcel. The prosecution told the court that he was arrested after opening the parcel and confirming its contents. During his arrest, Mishiame allegedly sent a message to Kish, alerting him to the presence of law enforcement officers.
On August 7, 2025, officers conducted a search at Mishiame’s residence, where several items were allegedly recovered. These included 11 branded packets of plant material suspected to be cannabis, 30 wraps of plant-like substances, and one packet of a whitish substance suspected to be cocaine. Also recovered were 42 empty bottles of Benylin cough syrup believed to contain codeine, a weighing scale, packaging materials, and other items described as drug paraphernalia.
A Royal motorbike and cash amounting to GH¢864 were also seized during the operation. Mishiame has, however, denied ownership of all the narcotic substances allegedly found in his residence.
The prosecution further told the court that all the suspected drugs were forwarded to the Ghana Standards Authority for laboratory analysis. The results of the examination showed that the plant materials tested positive for cannabis sativa, with a total net weight of 1,218.29 grammes. The whitish substance was also confirmed to be cocaine, with a net weight of 0.52 grammes.
The case has been adjourned to allow parties comply with the court’s directives as investigations continue and efforts are made to arrest the remaining accused persons. The matter has drawn attention to ongoing efforts by Ghanaian authorities to clamp down on drug trafficking and the use of courier services to smuggle illicit substances into the country.
