It has emerged that simultaneous investigations initiated by the Narcotic Control Board (NACOB) following the arrest of Hon. Eric Amoateng and Nii Okai Adjei in USA led NACOB sniffing on current Defence Minister, Albert Kan-Dapaah. NACOB at least interrogated Hon Kan Dapaah once before President Kufuor stamped his big foot in the probe and scattered it by sensationally appointing Hon Dapaah to the Ministry of the Interior. NACOB is an agency under the Ministry of Interior.

The interrogation of Kan Dapaah by Narcotic Control Board was occasioned by revelations that a name “George Owusu” which had emerged in NACOB’s investigations as being behind Eric Amoateng’s drug trade in Ghana might be connected to the Minister through a Kan-Dapaah Foundation.

According to NACOB investigations, a “George Owusu” man was the one who usually purchased the ceramics in which Amoateng stashed the cocaine and heroine which he exported to the USA in 2003, 2004 and 2005.

According to a NACOB report, on November 5, 2005 a George Owusu man facilitated the shipment of 7 boxes of ceramics through Emirates Airlines on behalf of Eric Amoateng to the United States, in which 136 pounds of heroine was stashed. It eventually led to his arrest.

On December 3, 2004 a George Owusu man again facilitated the shipment of a consignment of ceramic pots via a Ghana Airways flight on behalf Eric Amoateng to an address – 34 last 32nd Street, New York, USA.

On May 23rd 2003, the same George Owusu acting for Eric Amoateng shipped another consignment of ceramic pots to the USA on behalf of Eric Amoateng to an address – Baltimore MD 21230. Incidentally, backtracking investigations revealed that “George Owusu” was also identified as shipping ceramics from the USA to Kan Dapaah Foundation in Ghana, which was established and run by the Minister, Kan Dapaah as a Non Governmentally Organization (NGO).

NACOB sources indicate that the agency suspected that proceeds of drug money was being laundered through the Foundation, by possibly stashing it inside the ceramics just as drugs were stashed in the ceramics to the USA.

In a brief Interview with Kan Dapaah early this year, he admitted that he was questioned by NACOB but indicated that he was cleared by National Security, under Mr Francis Poku. But in a long distance phone interview with former Security Minister, Francis Poku from his London base, he stated that it was impossible for National Security to clear Kan Dapaah because they were not responsible for the investigation.

Mr Poku explained that what National Security did when they heard of the investigation was to ALERT him that there was something like that going on. When questioned about Kan Dapaah’s Foundation and its connection to a certain George Owusu, Kan Dapaah admitted that he established the foundation and also admitted receiving imported ceramics from George Owusu who was by then domiciled in the United States.

Minister Kan Dapaah noted that, the NGO was established to support people in his constituency and added that the ceramics and clothing were received from George Owusu in the USA.

When questioned about who George Owusu was and what he knew about him, Kan Dapaah said he knew George Owusu was working in the USA. When asked whether he subsequently got to know where George Owusu was working, Mr Dapaah who had earlier insisted on having the interview conducted via phone now said “I don’t want to subject myself to this interview, please send me a questionnaire.”

The Enquirer later learnt that the George Owusu man who shipped the used ceramics to Kan Dapaah Foundation is the same George Owusu who is now the country representative of Cosmos Energy, the company which announced significant oil find Ghana.

The Enquirer is also investigating leads that George Owusu the exporter of used ceramics to Kan Dapaah’s foundation, worked with GNPC and the Ministry of Energy on behalf of Cosmos Energy, Kan Dapaah was also one time Energy Minister.

THE KAN DAPAAH FOUNDATION

According to records at the Registrar General’s Department, the objective of Kan Dapaah Foundation is to provide scholarship for brilliant and needy children, to raise funds for educational purposes, to provide all other support for advancement of education and to promote the welfare and human rights of the aged and the under-privileged.

According to records, the directors of Kan Dapaah Foundation are “Minister Kan Dapaah of House No. 144/4 Adabraka, businessman Karikari Acheamfour of the same house address and Yaw Asuo Bannin.

Coincidentally, Kan Dapaah Foundation was incorporated on April 1, 2003 and was issued a certificate to commence business on April 2nd 2003, barely a month after a certain George Owusu shipped ceramic pots to the USA on behalf of Eric Amoateng.