Man, 50, Floored By Own Dope(D/G Thursday May 12, 2008)

Story: Benjamin Xornam Glover, Bolgatanga
A 50-year-old trader who allegedly laced a drink with a sedative and offered it to a co-passenger with the intention of getting her drowsy and then turning round to rob her, has been arrested by the police in Bolgatanga.The suspect, Musa Alhassan, who trades in kola, is alleged to have put a drug suspected to be valium into a can of soft drink and offered it to a co-passenger, Asana Ouedrago, who refused to drink it.The two were said to be on board a Bolgatanga-bound passenger vehicle, along with others, from Kumasi.The Upper East Regional Police Public Relations Officer, Inspector Ebenezer Tetteh, who confirmed this to the Daily Graphic, said Alhassan and Asana boarded the vehicle in Kumasi on Monday, June 9, 2008.He said on the way, Alhassan allegedly dropped some tablets into a can of soft drink he had and offered it to the woman to drink.According to the PRO, Asana flatly refused the offer, but unknown to Alhassan, some other passengers on board the vehicle had seen him putting the tablets into the drink before offering it to the woman.He said suspecting foul play, the other passengers confronted Alhassan, who initially denied any wrongdoing.He said not convinced, the passengers challenged him to sip the drink if he was sure that he was not up to some mischief, which he obliged.He said moments after taking a sip, Alhassan attempted to throw away the rest of the drink but he was overpowered by the passengers who managed to take the drink from him.Alhassan was alleged to have fallen asleep moments after tasting the drink until the bus arrived in Bolgatanga, where the passengers lodged a complaint with the police and handed Alhassan over to them, Inspector Tetteh said.“Interestingly, the suspect, who was brought to the police station at 9.00 a.m., slept for 24 hours before waking up,” he added.The police PRO said when the suspect woke up from his sleep, he was alleged to have admitted the offence and pleaded for clemency.Inspector Tetteh said the remaining drink was yet to be analysed by experts, after which the appropriate charges would be slapped on the suspect.