Tamale: The Northern Regional Police Command has arraigned eight suspects before the Tamale Circuit Court for offences related to the possession and prohibited sale of restricted and narcotic drugs within the Tamale Metropolis. The suspects were arrested between April 2 and April 6, 2026, by the Regional Counter Terrorism Unit (RCTU) Special Operations Team, code-named 'Red Maria,' as part of ongoing efforts to clamp down on drug-related crimes in the region.
According to Ghana News Agency, a press statement issued by the Public Relations Unit of the Northern Regional Police Command indicated that the suspects were put before the court on April 7, 2026, presided by Mr. Francis Asobayire. They were charged with possession and prohibited sale of restricted drugs, as well as possession of narcotic drugs without lawful authority.
The statement reported that two of the accused, Abdulai Alhassan and Issah Abdul Hakim, pleaded not guilty to the charges and were remanded into prison custody. The case has been adjourned to April 22, 2026, for continuation. Mohammed Hafiz, who was earlier arrested by community members at Ward K and handed over to the Police, pleaded guilty to the charges. He was convicted, but sentencing was deferred, with the case adjourned to April 22, 2026, for sentencing.
The statement further revealed that five other accused persons also pleaded guilty to the charges. Abdul Mumin Musah, Alhassan Sulemana, and Lukman Zakaria were each fined 3,000 penalty units, equivalent to GHS36,000.00, or in default serve 10 years' imprisonment in hard labour. The remaining three, Abubakari Yussif and Saeed Abubakari, were each fined 1,000 penalty units, amounting to GHS12,000.00 each, or in default serve 24 months' imprisonment.
The statement noted that all remand prisoners and convicted persons were currently in Police custody awaiting COVID-19 test results to facilitate their transfer to the Tamale Central Prison. It emphasised that the arrests formed part of intensified operations by the Police to combat the possession, sale, and distribution of illicit drugs in the Northern Region.