Frank Benneh Speaks Out

Frank Benneh, the former Ghanaian diplomat at the center of the cocaine bust-up at Ghana’s embassy in Switzerland in 1996 has confessed that some government and party officials were behind his involvement in the cocaine deal. He declined to reveal anybody when pressed to mention at least one person, but was quick to add that he had learnt his lessons.

“All that the Ghanaian Chronicle reported about the cocaine story at Ghana’s embassy in Switzerland was true”, he told this reporter in the offices of Public Agenda when he walked in last Thursday to narrate how badly the state had treated him.

Benneh said he was compelled to relocate to his native Brong Ahafo in 1999 due to harsh conditions in Accra and only came to Accra last week to follow up on his benefits. “But I was told that due to my peculiar situation as an ex-convict, I was not entitled to any benefits.” Benneh had served as a diplomat from 1975 to 1996, a total of 21 years in the service of his country, which took him to Brazil, France and Switzerland.

“I was 55 years last week and I have nothing to live on. I have no option than to pursue what they call “reduced pension from the Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT).”

In 1996, The Ghanaian Chronicle reported that Frank Benneh who was Minister Counselor (one step behind the ambassador) at the Ghana's embassy in Switzerland had been arrested while allegedly trafficking in cocaine for some members of the previous government.

This caused the Swiss authorities to arrest Benneh, but the haste with which the government of Ghana intervened and transferred him to Ghana for trial raised eye brows in diplomatic circles. Government officials at the time put up a spirited defence of their action, saying it was normal for any government to transfer its citizen involved in drug trafficking home for trial. The ongoing trial of Eric Amoateng, former member of parliament for Nkoranzah North could be a replay of the Benneh case.

Benneh was tried, convicted and sentenced to 20 years in prison in 1999, but was granted bail immediately. “I was supposed to appeal, but I could not appeal because my lawyer asked for an exorbitant fee, which I could not provide.” He said at a point, the then government was desperate to put the publisher of The Ghanaian Chronicle behind bars, only if he (Benneh) agreed to act as a state witness, but he refused to play the ball. “They said I should be a state witness, but I said I wanted to know what would happen to my own case? I wanted to pre-bargain my own case, but they refused, so I stood my ground and said no way, I wasn’t going to play ball.”

According to him, a day after he turned down the government's offer to testify against Kofi Coomson, 13 plain- clothed armed police men arrested and detained him at the James Town Prison for four months. “My lawyer sent the case to the Supreme Court, which ruled 4-1 to grant me bail.”

He said he is disappointed by the attitude of Kofi Coomson toward him, simply because Coomson would have been languishing in jail by now if he (Benneh) agreed to testify against him in the choreographed state trial that was to unfold.

Asked if he had any advice for Ghanaians, he said, “essentially God should be the main consideration in everything any Ghanaian is doing or plans to do, because the country can fail you, your family can fail you and your friends can fail you.”