The debate on the delay in the prosecution of drug traffickers has taken a bizarre turn with the revelation on Tuesday that an investigator has absconded with a female suspect in a drug case.

The Ghana News Agency reported that its investigations revealed that Mr Timothy

Semekor, an investigator of the Customs, Excise and Preventive Service (CEPS), who was handling a drug smuggling case involving the woman, a Sierra Leonean travelling on a Malian passport, had disappeared with her.

Mr Justice Addu Amponmah, Chairman of the Greater Accra Regional Tribunal, showed the Ghana News Agency a letter dated January 15 from CEPS and signed by Mr D. Bartels-Kodwo, Chief Collector, indicating that a Custom Officer Timothy Semekor, who was investigating the case went to the remand prison, signed documents and took custody of the suspect and had never reported for duty ever since.

Mr Justice Ampoma said that Fatima Kande, the Sierra Leonean, was arrested at the Kotoka International Airport last June. Kande was arraigned at the tribunal on June 26 and was remanded.

After calling the case on three occasions, the prosecutor withdrew the charge on July 17 and preferred another one on the same day. The accused pleaded not guilty and was remanded to reappear on the July 24, 2001.

Mr Justice Ampomah said the accused applied for bail but the tribunal turned it down. However, on the October 25 the tribunal granted the accused a 100 million cedis bail with one surety to be justified on the grounds of ill health after the investigator had presented a medical report from the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital.

The accused could not fulfil the bail demands so she was remained in custody. Mr Justice Ampomah said the tribunal realised that both the investigator and the accused did not appear anytime the case was called.

It was when the tribunal ordered the Prosecutor to produce the suspect that it was informed by CEPS that the investigator had absconded with the suspect. Mr Justice Amponmah said it was prosecutors and investigators and not the judiciary that were to blame for thwarting drug cases in court.

Some of the methods they used included the withdrawal of cases midstream and excuses like "our witnesses are not ready", absence of investigators and witnesses from court and withdrawal and preference of fresh charges.

"In the event of such instances the courts become handicapped in administering justice. We do not keep the suspects, we rely on investigators and prosecutors to produce the suspects in court at any trial day."

He explained that the courts were there to ensure due process of the law but could only do so with the co-operation of the prosecutors and investigators. Mr Justice Amponmah denied that condition for bails granted suspects were not stringent enough to avoid their jumping bail.