Mass arrests at cocaine probe

…Four leading suspects grabbed. Tagor, Alhaji Issah included...ACP Kofi Boakye not arrested

Four of the six suspects in the on-going investigations into the saga of the 77 boxes of missing cocaine on board the MV Benjamin were Wednesday arrested in a blitz security operation and sent to the Police headquarters right after proceedings ended, charged with possession of narcotic drugs.

They include Tagor, also known as Kwabena Amening, Alhaji Issah Abass, a Tema based business man, Kwabena Acheampong and Kojo Ababio, all businessmen. ACP Kofi Boakye, Director of Operations at the Police Headquarters was the only person at the Committee sitting left untouched, and who left the premises in his official car with his usual police escort. The sixth suspect, Moro, also a businessman, was however, not present at yesterday’s sitting.

Our investigations late last night indicated that the arrested suspects had since been sent to the Cantonments and Labadi police stations, where they are being held incommunicado. Not even their lawyers are allowed to see them, a source told this paper. It appears the Police Service is applying international terror laws, which prohibit contact between suspected terrorists and the general public.

The Statesman’s investigations have revealed that Kwabena Acheampong spent the last seven years in jail on drug-related charges. The last two of the seven years were spent at the 37 Military Hospital.

All the witnesses arrested yesterday have been mentioned in connection with a meeting which took place at the residence of ACP Boakye, a secretly taped recording of which was played by the committee yesterday. ACP Boakye has denied making the recording. Indeed, the police boss maintains that the recorder of the message will most likely be able to tell where the missing drugs are.

The tape, which lasted for over an hour, had the voices of all the suspects, including ACP Boakye, on it, discussing the missing drugs and about persons bringing in some ‘goods’ which were said to be on the high seas. With the exception of Alhaji Issah Abass, who complained about the clarity of the voices on the tape, although he could identify his voice and that of the other witnesses in the case, all the parties admitted their voices were on the tape.

Ironically, his voice was the loudest and the most voluble. Kwabena Acheampong’s voice was also clear, though he was more reticent, suggesting that the tape might have been situated somewhere between the two men.

Even before proceedings began, Kojo Ababio, who was invited for the first time by the fact-finding committee, was heckled by a group of armed police who accused him of trying to bolt, after he had been excused to drink some water. Testifying earlier, Tagor, who looked visibly disturbed, admitted meeting ACP Kofi Boakye in his office and at the latter’s residence where the meeting took place. He described ACP Boakye as “just an acquaintance and not a friend,” contrary to what was being bandied about by some sections of the media. He told the committee, chaired by Georgina Wood, a judge of the Supreme Court that he had met ACP Boakye only four times, including meeting him at the hearing and could not therefore describe such a person as a friend. The first time they met was at a night club at the airport residential area four months ago and another meeting in his (ACP Boakye’s) office when he (Tagor) received an invitation from ACP Boakye that he wanted to see him over a report lodged against him. Tagor said he heard for the first time about the missing drugs at this meeting. He denied having any information about the missing drugs, since it did not fall into his line of business. Kwabena Acheampong accompanied him to the meeting. Answering questions from committee members, Tagor denied ever telling Moro, another witness in the case, about any problems he was having with “Mafias from Columbia,” or asking him (Moro) to arrange a meeting with Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, the Asantehene.

“Madam, I am a full blooded Asante man myself, I don’t need anybody like Moro to show me how to visit my King,” he stressed.

He admitted travelling to Kumasi to visit his grandmother, but denied ever summoning Moro or following him to his office as the former claims. “Moro is not a smart guy, even my child is smarter than him, so why would I discuss my business with him,” he said.

Also giving evidence, Kwabena Amening denied being related to the wife of the Asantehene, Lady Julia, even though they share the same surname, or ever meeting her. Lady Julia is an Akyem. He however admitted that a strong bond of friendship existed between him and the Secretary to the Otumfuo, Owusu Boateng. Meanwhile the recorded conversation that took place in ACP Kofi Boakye’s house will be sent to the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation today to be edited for clarity. The committee will continue sitting tomorrow.