Govt calls for further investigations into loss of cocaine

Accra Sept 29, GNA - Mr Albert Kan-Dapaah, Minister of the Interior, on Friday called for further investigation into the disappearance of five kilos of cocaine from the Narcotics Control Board (NACOB) stores after a Committee of three set up to investigate the loss had presented its report to the Government.

At a press conference to present Government's position on the Report, Mr Kan-Dapaah said the Committee's findings were not definite and there was the need for more investigations into the matter. "Accordingly, I have invited the security agencies to undertake further investigations of the matter," he said. The three-man Committee had recommended that Mr Stephen Kwame Addo, storekeeper, was to be held responsible for the loss of the five kilos of cocaine as investigation established that the theft might have occurred in the Exhibit Stores.

Mr Kan-Dapaah said: 93Investigations established that the Exhibits Storekeepers, Mr Addo did not follow laid down procedures in handling the exhibits as he claimed he did not count the cocaine he took into custody, yet he made entries to the effect that the exhibits weighed 30 kilos=94.

Giving a background, Mr Kan-Dapaah said following the seizure of the MV Benjamin, which was alleged to be carrying cocaine, Operatives from the NACOB, led by Mr Ben Ndego entered the ship. The Operatives arrested a crew of five made up of three Ghanaians and two Chinese.

A haversack containing 30 slabs of cocaine weighting 30 kilos was discovered in the ship and the Operatives took custody of the cocaine. The Operatives proceeded to the NACOB Office in Accra and handed the cocaine to Col. Akuoku, the then Executive Secretary of NACOB, who received the haversack without counting the content, based on the fact that he had been told that it contained 30 parcels weighing 30 kilos. Together with officials of the NACOB he conveyed the parcels to NACOB stores at the Ministry of the Interior, where the Storekeeper also did not count the contents but just accepted it into his custody and recorded as having received it.

During a check about a month later it was discovered that the contents of the bags weighed 25 kilos and not 30 kilos of cocaine. Following a report of the loss of five kilos of cocaine from the NACOB Stores, the Committee of three was set up to investigate the matter.

Accra Sept 29, GNA - Mr Albert Kan-Dapaah, Minister of the Interior, on Friday called for further investigation into the disappearance of five kilos of cocaine from the Narcotics Control Board (NACOB) stores after a Committee of three set up to investigate the loss had presented its report to the Government.

At a press conference to present Government's position on the Report, Mr Kan-Dapaah said the Committee's findings were not definite and there was the need for more investigations into the matter. "Accordingly, I have invited the security agencies to undertake further investigations of the matter," he said. The three-man Committee had recommended that Mr Stephen Kwame Addo, storekeeper, was to be held responsible for the loss of the five kilos of cocaine as investigation established that the theft might have occurred in the Exhibit Stores.

Mr Kan-Dapaah said: 93Investigations established that the Exhibits Storekeepers, Mr Addo did not follow laid down procedures in handling the exhibits as he claimed he did not count the cocaine he took into custody, yet he made entries to the effect that the exhibits weighed 30 kilos=94.

Giving a background, Mr Kan-Dapaah said following the seizure of the MV Benjamin, which was alleged to be carrying cocaine, Operatives from the NACOB, led by Mr Ben Ndego entered the ship. The Operatives arrested a crew of five made up of three Ghanaians and two Chinese.

A haversack containing 30 slabs of cocaine weighting 30 kilos was discovered in the ship and the Operatives took custody of the cocaine. The Operatives proceeded to the NACOB Office in Accra and handed the cocaine to Col. Akuoku, the then Executive Secretary of NACOB, who received the haversack without counting the content, based on the fact that he had been told that it contained 30 parcels weighing 30 kilos. Together with officials of the NACOB he conveyed the parcels to NACOB stores at the Ministry of the Interior, where the Storekeeper also did not count the contents but just accepted it into his custody and recorded as having received it.

During a check about a month later it was discovered that the contents of the bags weighed 25 kilos and not 30 kilos of cocaine. Following a report of the loss of five kilos of cocaine from the NACOB Stores, the Committee of three was set up to investigate the matter.