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General News of Wednesday, 16 May 2001

Source: GNA

BNI explains why E. T. Mensah was detained

The Bureau of National Investigations (BNI) is investigating allegations that former Minister for Youth and Sports, Enoch Teye Mensah, MP, Ningo-Prampram, had hatched a plan to cause confusion and riots to destabilize the government following the tragedy at the Accra Sports Stadium.

A statement signed by a Staff Officer at the BNI Headquarters, said Hon. Mensah's arrest was ordered to enable the bureau question him on allegations that he instigated some youth at Nima and Maamobi to cause confusion in the country.

The statement said, "the BNI had it that these persons/agents of Mr. E.T. Mensah began to cause confusion in the Nima and Maamobi areas". This was "after they had gone in for alcoholic drinks and narcotic drugs and started a demonstration in which they destroyed various properties and conceived plans to burn the Nima Police station".

It said the BNI arrested Hon. Mensah on the basis of information received, adding, "the BNI is mandated by an Act of Parliament to ensure thorough investigations that all acts intended to undermine the security of the state are nipped in the bud."

The statement said the Director of BNI questioned the MP in the presence of his lawyer Mr. Bram-Larbi and three BNI officers. "On the basis of information received, the BNI reckoned that Mr. E. T. Mensah had a criminal case to answer. He was, however, released on bail at 1330 hours on Monday whiles investigations continue.