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The Deputy Attorney General has defended the continued detention of seven narcotic suspects in prison custody for a month and over. Ebo Barton Odro insists the rights of Ghanaians for a narcotics-free society should take precedence over the rights of a few narcotics suspects. Seven people have shuttled between bars and the courts for a month on narcotic related offences and were only last week granted bail by a Magistrate Court. The Attorney General filed for nolle-prosequi but rearrested the suspects and put them behind bars. It is not yet clear what new charges have been leveled against the suspects. Lawyers for the suspects are enraged by the conduct of officials of the Bureau of National Investigations (BNI) who despite a court granting the suspects bail, refused to release them. Counsel have thus sued the Bureau for contempt of court and trampling on the rights of the suspects. Responding to criticisms of highhandedness in the case in an interview with Joy News, the Deputy Attorney General said government is unwavering in its commitment to fight drugs in the country and that even if it means sacrificing the rights of few suspects for the general good of the society, it will do so. �When we are talking about the liberties or the rights of drug addicts don�t forget that the rest of Ghana, the citizens of Ghana also have rights. We have to protect our citizens from this menace. It is so devastating that if we joke with it this country will go down the road [of countries like Mexico with serious consequences],� he told Joy News. When he was reminded of the rights of the suspects in custody the deputy minister said: �They have rights but the nation also has rights. We are talking about 24 millions rights against two, three, four, people, what are you telling me�? he fumed. He feared the country will go the way of Columbia and the future of Ghanaian children jeorpardised if drastic measures are not taken. The Deputy Attorney General questioned the rationale and action by the Osu Court Magistrate, Ellen Anokye in approving a bail bond for the suspects, insisting, drug offences are not bailable. �Under what circumstances would you grant bail? Under what circumstances would you the judge come out there in your wig and gown to protect them and bring them back into your court room to sit beside you? I don�t want to come to certain conclusions. The case is out of that court,� he said. Mrs Ellen Anokye last week resisted the attempt by the BNI to rearrest the suspects she had granted bail, explaining, the BNI had no powers so to do especially when it had not gone through the legal formalities. The Deputy Attorney General would neither explain why the preliminary charges against the suspects were dropped, nor will he tell what new charges have been proferred against the suspects. He said for now the suspects will have to remain in custody until they are through with their investigations.