Accra, Sept 29, GNA - Mr Albert Kan-Dapaah, Minister of the Interior on Friday said the observations made by the Georgina Wood Committee on the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mr Patrick Kwateng Acheampong were quite serious.

Mr Kan-Dapaah said he was referring the matter to the Government. The IGP was mentioned in connection with the disappearance 77 parcels of cocaine on a ship MV Benjamin and another case involving a Venezuelan drug baron, Vasquez Gerrado Duarte David, now at large. Mr Kan-Dapaah made the announcement in Accra at a press conference, which the Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Mr Joe Ghartey also addressed.

Regarding the IGP, Mr Kan-Dapaah, said the Report said for the IGP to grant audience to Grace Asibi, the girlfriend of the alleged drug baron David, who was under investigation for such a serious offence, and direct her on the options open to her had the tendency of leading wrong perceptions and bringing the high office of the Ghana Police into disrepute.

"While the IGP has every right to make friends, the Committee found that his status requires that he chooses his friends with care in order not to compromise the high office of the IGP" the Georgina Wood Committee Report said.

It said the IGP could not claim ignorance of the law that empowered a law enforcement officer to impound the proceeds of a drug trade. The Committee, which the Mr Kan-Dapaah inaugurated on July 4, 2006, was to determine the facts leading to the suspected loss of narcotic drugs brought into the country by the vessel MV Benjamin. It was also to determine the allegation of bribery levelled against some Senior Police Officers in respect of seizure of narcotic drugs from a house at Mempeasem, East Legon, near Accra. The Report of the Committee said evidence before it came to the conclusion that Grace Asibi was a totally untruthful and unreliable witness.

Asibi had said she paid a bribe of 200,000 dollars to Assistant Commissioner of Police and Deputy Director General of the Ghana Police CID Mr Patrick Kwabena Ampewuah and Supt Edward Tabiri, then Deputy Superintendent of Police and Head of the Rapid Response Unit. Supt Tabiri, under the direct supervision of the Director-General of the Police CID, Mr David Asante Apeatu, led an operation to raid a house at Mempeasem, East Legon, seized 588 kilograms of cocaine and arrested two Venezuelans, who were alleged to be resident in the house.

The Senior Police Officers denied having demanded or receiving bribe form her. In the case of Supt Tabiri, he admitted having requested Grace to inform her boyfriend Vasquez David Duarte, fugitive drug baron, to return to Ghana with the money so that he could assist them to have the case transferred elsewhere and disposed of on the quiet. "He was emphatic that the demand which never materialises was only a bait to lure Vasquez back to Ghana=94, Mr Kan-Dapaah said. Mr Kan-Dapaah said: "The Committee finds that Grace made the allegation of bribery when Supt Tabiri refused her request that she be given 50 per cent of the cocaine seized from the house as reward for her tip off, and at the same time she was losing her relationship with Vasquez, who had come to learn that she was an informant. The Report, which Mr Kan-Dapaah said had been posted on the Ghana Government website, said it was clear that Vasquez came to Ghana for the purpose of establishing or promoting an enterprise relating to narcotic drugs.

He said investigations would continue into the role of Rosita, the Secretary of Vasquez; Mr Rojo Mettle-Nunoo, the Consultant to Vasquez and Grace Asibi, to determine their role in the drug operations of Vasquez. "The Committee did not have the opportunity to critically examine all issues involving the cocaine business of Vasquez and his accomplices. Investigations will, therefore, continue and all those found to have aided, abetted or conspired with Vasquez would be charged.

Mr Kan-Dapaah said he agreed with the suggestion to form a national taskforce to examine thoroughly the drug trade, a review of the NACOB and the evolvement of comprehensive measures to deal with the discharge of illicit goods through the Tema and Takoradi ports.