IGP Appears Before Cocaine Probe

There was a heavy police presence at the premises of the Ministry of the Interior yesterday, when the Inspector-General of Police, Patrick Kwarteng Acheampong, appeared before the Justice Wood Committee.

The committee is probing the disappearance of 77 parcels of cocaine on board the M.V. Benjamin vessel at Tema and the seizure of a quantity of cocaine at a house at East Legon.

Yesterday’s session with the IGP, held in camera, is believed to have centered on the missing 77 parcels of cocaine on the vessel at Tema.

Although the Times did not see the IGP physically, his official car was seen parked at the premises of the Ministry. A Ministry of the Interior source confirmed his presence there.

The source said the committee would today continue with the in-camera hearing of other security personnel, notably from the Ghana Navy.

However, a fax message from the committee just before press time, said that the committee would hold a public sitting at noon today.

Grace Asibi, a star witness in the East Legon cocaine bribery scandal, is expected to continue her evidence today.

ACP Kofi Boakye, will also be led by his team of counsel today to continue his evidence before the committee.

At an earlier sitting of the committee, ACP Boakye claimed ownership of the voice on the secret tape recording of a meeting between him and four suspects in the missing cocaine saga and declared his preparedness to cooperate with the committee in its hearing.

But counsel for the four suspects last Thursday declared that they would no longer cooperate with the committee in its deliberations.

The suspects are Alhaji Abass Issah, Kwabena Amaning, also known as Targor, Kwabena Acheampong and Kwadjo Ababio.

A fifth suspect, Alhaji Morro, was not present at the committee hearing that day. Their counsel explained at that hearing that their clients feared that since they had been arraigned before the court, any further evidence volunteered by them before committee, could be used against them in court.