Kofi's Convention With Drug Barons

An amazing recording of the denizens of the drug trade in Ghana has revealed the names and locations of the main 'dealers and associates' involved.

The growing menace has caught the attention of the United States government, German and United Kingdom intelligence agencies, and has raised their rating of Ghana as a noted transit route for the drug trade.

The tape, dropped at the office of The Chronicle by unknown sources probably with an agenda, has the booming voice of the powerful Police Commander, ACP Kofi Boakye, holding court at an undisclosed location. It holds the key to disclosing all the players in the business with damning revelations about how the Asantehene was said to have sent an emissary to intercede on behalf of someone who was about to be arrested over drug-related offences.

The name of Moro, who said before the Justice Woode Committee that he is a regular at the Manhyia palace, was very prominent, as well as that of the man who is needed urgently by the Committee, Mr. Kwabena Amaning (a.k.a. Tegor).

Names like Yaw Billa, identified as a drug baron, was mentioned and quoted by an unidentified voice as saying, "Yaw Billa says it is cooked; he knows where the stuff is" - (the stuff being the missing 1,800 kilos of cocaine that was seized but had gone missing).

The name of Joe Donkor, said to be another baron living in Abeka Lapaz, also popped up; Kamel, Peter and Paul, Aisha, Dawson - said on the tape to be son of the owner of a bank who owns the arrested vessel that was carrying the substance, and one JBK - also said to be a drug baron, were clearly mentioned. Another name that came up was Kwabena Akyeampong.

He was mentioned in relation to a frosty relation that was said to have developed between them and another guy.

"I won't deny you; you have been my friend since 1984.

You have been nice to me and I have been nice to you. The two of them have a problem so Kwabena Akyeampong ," then Kofi Boakye's voice is heard saying, "I shall go and see Akuoku at the Narcotics Board."

The clearly dominant voices were on the tape recording of a meeting Kofi Boakye indicated he had convened to get to the bottom of the missing drug scandal, and from which he was anxious to clear his name.

However, the conversation, rather than clearing his name, implicated him deeper because of the comments he made.

Moro's voice, was heard but trailed off into silence, and after 50 minutes, his voice came up again. The dominant voice sounded like that of Alhaji Abass, who clearly bore a grudge and complained he had been cheated.

Now they are saying that Kamel is even richer than me," he whined on the tape. "Me with my ten houses; eight kids and five grand children! All these boys worked for me in the past. I have been in the business for a long time! But now '

ACP Boakye said, "I am a public officer. I have been telling you people but you don't seem to understand, you are private citizens so you can My reputation is very important to me."

He threatened that as long as his name had come up, he was going to effect some arrests, recalling an incident when he trailed a drug heist right through Togo till they made an arrest.

Then Boakye again said, "If my name had not come in, I wouldn't have bothered," suggesting with the intimacy with which he held court he knew every drug dealer and where they operated from and how, but would never arrest them unless they crossed him.

A key name that popped up was one Alhaji Addah and he was mentioned and qualified with the ownership of a forex bureau.

"Addah says he knows those who own the goods; 1,700 kilos are with him." "Otumfuo has noticed that my eyes are red because Alhaji told him" I have got to clear myself. The reason why I called you is to clear my name... You know I don't know anything about this."

Kofi Boakye also referred to his differences with the IGP and added that he wants to protect his boss. He did not explain on the tape what he meant by that.

Alhaji Imoro had testified on Monday before the Committee that Tegor had informed him that his friends were bringing drugs to the country and the drugs were suspected to be with him (Tegor), so the police wanted to arrest him.

He continued that immediately Tegor said some Mafia dons from Columbia had come to look for him to kill him, he (Alhaji Imoro) drove his car out of the meeting for fear of his life.

However, the tape recordings proved that he sat through the one-hour meeting.