My son is an independent man - NPP Guru

Mr. Appiah Menka, a leading industrialist and founding member of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) has cried foul over what he considers as attempts by some persons to associate him with his son, Andrew Menkah’s alleged cocaine case.

Andrew Menkah, married with four children, was arrested in April this year at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) in Kumasi where he was undergoing an operation to remove 22 pellets of substances suspected to be cocaine, from his belly. Seventy-three-year-old Appiah Menka dissociated himself from his son’s cocaine case, assuring all Ghanaians that he would not interfere with the course of the law.

Virtually leaving his son to bear his own cross, the industrialist said Andrew “is an independent man living with his family, so if he wants to adopt shortcut or illegal means to get rich overnight, nobody should include me in it”.

Clearing his name on various FM stations in the Garden City of Kumasi, the industrialist said he became wealthy by dint of hard-work and through legal means.

On Fox and Luv fm stations, he stressed that he was unaware that his son was dealing in drugs until his arrest by the Police. “He does not work at the Apino Soap Company owned by me as my other sons do. Besides, I have not set my eyes on him for close to two years now,” he said. Mr. Appiah Minkah, who is Chairman of the NPP Council of Elders in the Ashanti Region, pleaded with Ghanaians to allow the Police to investigate the matter. He observed that the law, which is no respecter of persons, should be allowed to take its course. “I am sorry that such a shameful case has befallen my son, but since he is matured and knows right from wrong, the law should deal with him accordingly,” he said.Andrew Menka, 48, is in the grips of the CID for allegedly swallowing a whopping 22 pellets of a substance suspected to be cocaine.

Information reaching Daily Guide indicates that Andrew swallowed the pellets in Kumasi and proceeded to the Kotoka International Airport (KIA) in Accra prior to his departure to Europe. He felt unwell upon reaching Accra, an indication that something was beginning to go wrong with his narcotic cargo. Andrew therefore retraced his steps to the Garden City of Kumasi to reverse the action.His first port of call was a private clinic in the regional capital, where unfortunately for him, the doctor he met rather alerted a colleague at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH). The doctor then asked his guest to proceed to the facility to have the pellets removed. Before he got to KATH however, the Police who had been tipped off, immediately proceeded to the place and stood guard as the procedure to remove the narcotic substance was undertaken.

He was subsequently chained to his hospital bed under the watchful eyes of the Police until his full recovery when he was whisked to Accra. Last week Menkah was handed over to the Organised Crime Unit of the Ghana Police Service, who have commenced earnest investigations into yet another high-profile cocaine case. Additional information filtering in indicates that Andrew’s narcotic cargo was destined for an undisclosed European country.