By Stephen Kwabena Effah
Friday, 24 October 2008
The trial of music producer Isaac Abaidu Aidoo, popularly known as Goodies, could not continue yesterday following the absence of the prosecutor who has proceeded on his annual leave.
Assistant State Attorney Paul Asibi Abariga told the Accra Circuit Court yesterday, that the Chief State Attorney, Mrs. Valerie Amartey, had begun her leave, and prayed the court, for a short adjourned date to enable him to go through all that is necessary to proceed from there.
The court, therefore, adjourned the case to October 30.
Aidoo, who is the Chief Executive of Goodies Music Production, is facing two counts of attempted exportation and possession of narcotic drugs without lawful authority. He has pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Aidoo was arrested at the Kotoka International Airport on April 23, on suspicion of possessing narcotic drugs while going through departure formalities to board a flight to London.
He was subsequently taken to the 37 Military Hospital by officials of the Narcotics Control Board for x-ray, which revealed that he had foreign materials in his stomach.
He was put under surveillance during which he allegedly expelled 80 pellets of whitish which substances proved positive of cocaine upon testing by the Ghana Standards Board.
During police interrogation, Aidoo allegedly mentioned Abdul Haid, a musician resident at East Legon, Accra, as the one who gave him the drugs to be delivered to one Willie in London for a fee of 3,000 dollars.
Haid has not yet been located by the police.
Aidoo was arraigned before the Greater Accra regional Tribunal on April 25, but the case was subsequently transferred to the Circuit court in August on the orders of the Chief Justice.
On September 12, he asked his counsel, Jah Josiah, to withdraw his representation in the case, after which he prayed the court for a short date to secure a new counsel to defend him.
He is currently being represented by Oliver Atsu.
The prosecution finally opened its case on September 26, five months after his arrest, and has since called two officials of the Narcotic control Board as witnesses.
The investigator in the case was expected in court on October 1, to give his testimony but when the case was called, Mr. Amartey told the court that she could not notify him.
Hearing was, therefore, adjourned to October 8, but the court did not sit that day.
It was accordingly adjourned to October 16, and again to yesterday.
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