General News of Thursday, 27 July 2006

Source: jfm

Justice Minister 'protects' top police officers

The Minister of Justice and Attorney General says measures have been taken to prevent tampering with evidence in the ongoing drugs enquiry in which top police officers are alleged to have connived with cocaine suspects to jump bail.

Joe Ghartey was reacting to calls by the minority for the interdiction of the officers.

An Interior Ministry Enquiry is currently ongoing to establish the veracity of claims that the Deputy Director of the Criminal Investigations Department Patrick Ampewuah and some top officials demanded bribes to facilitate the disappearance of two Venezuelan Nationals granted bail for a cocaine trafficking offence.

But the Minority is worried about possible cover ups of evidence and has demanded the interdiction of the officials.

But Mr. Ghartey says such requests are premature.

The minority also requested the setting up of a bi-partisan committee to investigate the allegations instead of the Interior Ministry. Mr. Ghartey doesn’t object to a parliamentary enquiry.

However he insists it’s the government’s prerogative to investigate the allegations.