Accra, June 2, GNA - Several former ministers under the New Patriotic Party (NPP) government and dozens of party faithful on Tuesday marched to the Bureau of National Investigations (BNI) to demand the whereabouts of the former Chief of Staff, Mr. Kwadwo Mpiani, who is being questioned by the security agency.

The NPP ministers had said Mr. Mpiani had been at the BNI since 1100 hours and they had not heard from him by 1900 when they went there. But Deputy Information Minister, Mr James Agyenim-Boateng said Mr Mpiani was only being questioned by the BNI on "a wide range of issues" and dismissed claims by former Information Minister, Mr Stephen Asamoah-Boateng that the former Chief of Staff had been taken to an unknown destination.

Mr Agyenim-Boateng said Mr. Mpiani was being represented by three lawyers, and the questioning started at about 1300 hours and not 1100 hours. This was because Mr Mpiani had indicated that he would come to the BNI on Monday but came on Tuesday when some other people had already been scheduled to appear.

He said the questioning was being done with breaks and Mr Mpiani could not be reached on his phone because as a normal routine, phones are deposited at the reception.

Mr Agyenim-Boateng said Mr Mpiani went to the BNI voluntarily and had neither been arrested nor charged.

Mr Frank Agyekum, former Deputy Information Minister, said the ministers, who normally met on Tuesdays under the chairmanship of Mr. Mpiani, were showing solidarity with their leader.