… KUFUOR PARDONS CONVICTED DRUG BARON

…. A convenient conduit for more drug money for the NPP campaign

The widely held perception of the indulgence of the NPP Government in drug trafficking and the promotion of same through their proxies have been confirmed once again with the granting of presidential pardon to another convicted drug lord. True Democrat intelligence is in possession of a letter duly signed by President J.A. Kufuor and dated November 21, 2008 granting unconditional pardon to Alhaji Ibrahim Yaro, who was convicted and sentenced to five years imprisonment on November 27, 1987 under the watch of the Provisional National Defence Council (PNDC).

By this action by President Kufuor and his NPP government to pardon and release all assets to Alhaji Yaro, the endorsement and tacit approval being given to drug trafficking has been taken to another level. In the case of Alhaji Yaro, he was tried and sentenced in absentia to three years imprisonment and a fine of C 2,000,000.00 after going on appeal. The reduction in sentence by a Public Tribunal followed an appeal by his counsel against the original five year jail term and a fine of C 2,500,000.00.

Alhaji Ibrahim Yaro, who now lives at 44 Queens Drive, Mossley Hill, Liverpool, L 18 OHF, U.K. was charged with conspiracy to traffic and for trafficking in narcotic drugs contrary to section 23 (1) of the Criminal Offences Act, 1960 (Act 29) and sections 45 and 57 of the Pharmacy and Drugs Act, 1961, (Act 64) among others.

In granting pardon to this drug convict, President Kufuor claimed in the warrant that “the political climate in the country at the time of the trial was unsafe …” Drug experts the True Democrat spoke to dismissed the reference to ‘political climate’ and argued that under international law and going by the processes of de jure and de facto, the PNDC was duly recognized by the international community. The legitimacy of the government was circumscribed in its dealings with the major economic and political powers in the international arena. Therefore, for the NPP government to decide to turn logic on its head in respect of a serious criminal act such as drug trafficking and grant pardon to such a baron speaks volumes as to why Ghana has become the hub of narcotic trade.

In haste to quicken the process of releasing Alhaji Yaro’s assets and clear him of all the charges, the Office of the Vice-President authorized Mr. R.K. Angsomwine, the Secretary to the Vice-President to personally write to the Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Mr. Joe Ghartey, drawing his attention to the warrant and concluded with the expression of warm compliments from the President. The motivation for the release of another convicted drug baron by the NPP government is not yet clear. However, industry experts spoken to by the True Democrat are convinced the main consideration could be the financial largesse from the convicted baron to the NPP when they were in opposition or in the current political campaign. According to the drug experts, the ease with which the NPP government has been releasing convicted drug barons from jail and also returning their seized assets to them is sending wrong signals to the international community. They cited how the then Attorney-General and the now presidential candidate of the NPP, Akufo-Addo spearheaded the deconsfication of seized assets of his brother-in-law, Raymond Amankwah. This was later found to have been fast-tracked because of active business collaboration and huge injection of funds into the NPP political project. Drug experts told the paper that the subsequent arrest of Amankwah in Brazil for being a wanted drug baron should have informed the NPP government to revise its open support for drug chiefs.

Contrary to the disgraceful Amankwah saga and the loud condemnation of the manipulation of the judiciary to release assets to certified drug barons immediately the NPP came to power in 2001, the NPP government, has continued to lend support to drug trafficking. The brushing aside of the recommendations of the Georgina Wood Committee by the President to prosecute top cops in the police administration has firmly deepened the perception of the indulgence of the NPP government in the drug trade. The latest pardon to Alhaji Ibrahim Yaro is an affirmation of the legalization of drug money in our country and in particular in the NPP campaign. There is only one motivation for the granting of presidential pardon to a drug baron, and that is, the financial gain accruing to both parties or that some powerful persons in the NPP government are accessories to the crime for which Yaro was sentenced to prison in absentia.

The tall list of NPP government functionaries and proxies mired in the drug trade is endless. Names that came in handy are the former Member of Parliament for Nkoranza North Eric Amoateng, Raymond Amankwah, brother-in-law of Akufo-Addo and a business associate and above all a known financial backer of the NPP. Others who have been left of the hook and roaming the streets freely included three NPP Dzorwulu executives, who were busted with narcotics at the Kotoka International Airport. They were Abena Oforiwaa, 65 years, (Chairperson), Comfort Akua Amankwah, Organizer and Ama Nyarkoa, 55 years, Treasurer.