Joel Mejia Duarte Moises v. The Republic

Appellant Joel Mejia Duarte Moises, a Venezuelan machine operator, was arrested at House No. 348, Mempeasem near Legon during a CID operation led by Superintendent Edward Tabiri following a tip-off. Police found 588 cocaine tablets in 12 boxes and equipment used to process and package cocaine (ammonia bottles, a henkelman vacuum machine, gloves, KLM cargo stickers, notebooks with sales records). Moises possessed keys, acknowledged the cocaine, advised officers on handling wet versus dry powder, and led police to additional stashes; he called 'Bude/Shamo', after which second accused Italo Gervasio Rosero Castillo arrived and was arrested. Ghana Standards Board forensic analyst James Atakie confirmed the seized substance as high-purity cocaine. Convicted of conspiracy, importation, and possession offences under Act 29 and PNDCL 236, Moises received 25 years IHL on each count, concurrently. On appeal, the Court of Appeal (Dzamefe JA; Appau JA; Acquaye JA) upheld the convictions and sentence, clarifying that sentences commence on pronouncement (Act 30, s.315(3)) and emphasizing deterrence and societal protection.