General News of Tuesday, 15 August 2006
Source: GNA
Accra, Aug. 15 GNA - The Justice Georgina Wood Committee investigating two major cocaine-related cases that hit the country late last year and early this year continued its closed-door sitting for the second day on Tuesday to hear the testimony of senior security officials.
Details of who have been appearing before the Committee are not available but reliable sources said the Inspector-General of Police Mr Patrick Acheampong was making another appearance. Other top security officials and officers of the Ghana Navy are also expected to appear. The Committee said it would hear evidence of a number of people in camera because their testimony would border on national security. The Committee is investigating the disappearance of 77 parcels of cocaine, each weighing 30 kilograms, from a ship MV Benjamin and alleged bribery involving Policemen following the seizure of 588 kilograms of cocaine at East Legon. According to the Ministry of the Interior, on April 27, 2006, the Narcotics Control Board (NACOB) received intelligence information that a ship on the high seas was suspected to be carrying narcotic drugs. It, therefore, intercepted the vessel with the assistance of the Ghana Navy. When officials of the NACOB conducted a search on the vessel they discovered a leather bag containing 30 slabs of a whitish substance suspected to be cocaine. This was seized and taken to the Headquarters for safekeeping.