NDC Boys Busted Over Cocaine

The Western Regional Police Commander, DCOP Hamidu Mahama has confirmed reports gathered by the Daily Guide newspaper that two suspected narcotic drug dealers have been granted bail upon the intervention of National Democratic Congress (NDC) bigwigs, when the case had not been sent to court.

The bigwigs included the deputy Western Regional Women’s Organiser of the NDC. The two suspects, Ibrahim Ahmed, 29 and Tommy Hill Walker, 28, known members of the ruling NDC, were arrested by the police on September 19, 2010 for allegedly dealing in drugs. But they were set free by the police under the pretext of granting them bail.

According to the police, the suspects were granted bail because the quantity of narcotics found in their possession was small. Tongues are wagging in the Sekondi-Takoradi metropolis regarding the weird circumstance under which the two suspects were granted bail, as the ordinary man knows that it is only the court which can grant bail to suspected drug dealers.

However, DCOP Hamidu Mahama, who confirmed the arrest and granting of bail of the two suspects, explained that the suspects were released so they would help the police arrest the “big men” and other accomplices in the drug trade.

Speaking to Daily Guide at his office in Sekondi, DCOP Mahama noted that even though all was set to send the two suspects to court, the police granted them bail because the quantity of suspected drugs found on them was too small.

According to him, in situations where suspects were arrested for possessing small quantities of drug, the law permitted the police to grant the suspects bail for them to help in arresting those who dealt in large quantities. The police commander added that the decision to grant the suspects bail was taken in collaboration with the Drug Law Enforcement Unit of the Police Service.He disclosed that the suspects had named a journalist who works at a popular radio station in Takoradi and a police officer as some accomplices in the narcotic drug business in the metropolis, but the regional commander said he would not disclose their identities until investigations were over.

DCOP Mahama further explained that he invited the NDC Women’s Organizer to bail the suspects and that the bail could be revoked at anytime. “We have granted the suspects bail but they are not released so when we get all the information we want and arrest the big men behind the deal, the suspects will be arraigned before court and can even serve as witnesses,” DCOP Mahama said.

However, commenting on the bizarre circumstance of the bail, a high-profile personality in the metropolis who spoke to Daily Guide on anonymity said the bail granted the two suspects was questionable and probably had some political undertones which he said raised the suspicion that “some politicians may be pulling strings to free their party men”.

The facts of the case are that on September 19, 2010, the police in Takoradi had a tip-off that Ahmed, a footballer, was lodging at Okatakyie Hotel in Takoradi and allegedly dealing in drugs; so some police personnel moved in to arrest him.

A search conducted on him revealed four wrappers of a whitish substance suspected to be cocaine concealed in a small handbag.

When the police interrogated Ahmed on the spot, he admitted the drug was meant to be supplied to some customers of his, but mentioned Walker, a bartender in Takoradi, as his source of cocaine supply.

The police than arrested Walker who quickly admitted to the offence when he was questioned.

Reliable sources at the Western Regional Police command told Daily Guide that while the police were preparing to send the suspects to court, some NDC bigwigs in the region stormed the police headquarters on Wednesday September 22 in a pick-up vehicle, and after meeting with the Commander in his office, allegedly arranged for the two suspects to be granted bail.

Investigations conducted by Daily Guide revealed that one of the NDC gurus who visited the regional police headquarters to make the alleged arrangement was a deputy regional women’s organizer of the Party (name withheld).