Three pellets of what was suspected to be a controlled drug were pulled from a Ghanian national?s faeces, a Supreme Court Jury heard yesterday.

Narcotics officer Det. Con. Leroy Mathurin said he found three red inch-and-a-half by around an inch in diameter red pellets in Oshuman Shehu?s bowl movement on October 26, 2003 at King Edward VII Memorial Hospital. Det. Con. Mathurin told the court that he strip searched Shehu in a private room at airport because Customs officer Tanisha Woolridge had designated him for a random search.

She became suspicious because his hands were shaking and he was sweating profusely when he presented himself to her. The court heard that Shehu told Det. Con. Mathurin that he came to Bermuda on holiday on a flight from New York and was staying at Grotto Bay Beach Hotel, and was a salesperson.

Det. Con. Mathurin decided to order a strip search. Shehu denied swallowing any drugs and nothing was found during the strip search, which took place on October 25, 2003.

Shehu was then escorted to the hospital with Det. Con. Mathurin, Customs officer Tanisha Woolridge, and Det. Con. Windol Thorpe.

The x-ray done at the hospital revealed foreign objects in Shehu?s stomach, said Det. Con. Mathurin. Shehu again denied swallowing drugs and claimed ?all I had was goats soup?.

However, he was arrested at the hospital on suspicion of importing a controlled drug and all travel documents were seized.

Det. Con. Mathurin added that $2,600 US was seized and was comprised of $100 bills.

Early on October 26 Det. Con. Mathurin escorted Shehu into a restroom and watched him defecate and then inspected the faeces, in which he found the pellets. His testimony will continue today in front of Pusine Justice Ian Kawaley.

Officer Woolridge has testified that Det. Con. Mathurin escorted Shehu into the bathroom on three different occasions ? on the first trip he returned showing her three red pellets, 11 on the second trip, and another three on the last trip.

The pellets were bagged, labelled and signed by the defendant and Det. Con. Mathurin.

She added that she become suspicious when she found out that Shehu had booked his ticket three days prior to arrival in Bermuda and that he had booked his hotel reservation one day prior to arrival.

Officer Woolridge said that nothing significant happened while keeping an eye on Shehu at the hospital from her shifts on October 27 or the following day.

On cross examination by defence lawyer Victoria Pearman, Ms Woolridge admitted Shehu was held at the hospital for ?about three days? and was not allowed to speak with a lawyer, make a phone call, and was denied food. However, he did have an intravenous drip attached to him. He was also handcuffed to his hospital bed.

Officer Woolridge said there was some conversation between Shehu, herself, and Det. Con. Mathurin while they were at the hospital but said it was ?idle chatter? and if something pertaining to the case was said then she would have made a note.

Officer Woolridge said she could not remember most of the conversations with Shehu but she remembered Shehu mentioning the name Sean Brown but failed to make a note of it and admitted that it did in fact pertain to the case.

The trial continues today with Oonaugh Vaucrossen representing the Crown and is expected to last a week.