TWO CONVICTED FOR ROLE IN 2005 COCAINE SCANDAL

C O N F I D E N T I A L ACCRA 002534

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/30/2017
TAGS: KCRM SNAR PGOV PREL GH
SUBJECT: TWO CONVICTED FOR ROLE IN 2005 COCAINE SCANDAL

REF: A) 2006 ACCRA 1793 B) 2006 ACCRA 2386 C) ACCRA

Classified By: AMBASSADOR PAMELA E. BRIDGEWATER FOR REASONS 1.4 (B) AND
(D).


1. (U) After a year long trial, an Accra court on November 28
sentenced both Kwabena Amaning, aka Tagor, and Alhaji Isaah
Abass to 15 years hard labor in connection with the 2005
cocaine scandal involving the MV Benjamin. As reported in
ref A, the 2005 cocaine scandal kicked off when five
kilograms of cocaine went missing from the Narcotics Control
Board evidence room. Investigations later determined that 77
parcels of cocaine were brought into Ghana on the MV Benjamin
and the GOG, despite being given intelligence about the
cocaine shipment beforehand, was unable to seize the ship
until after 76 parcels were off loaded and disappeared.
After law enforcement personnel boarded the MV Benjamin, only
one parcel of cocaine remained on board. The ship then
mysteriously caught fire a few days later while in the Tema
port. As a result of the public outcry, the GOG launched a
Commission of Inquiry led by Chief Justice Georgina Wood to
investigate the scandal and make recommendations (ref B). The
Commission recommended, among other things, the arrest of 13
individuals including Tagor, Abass, Assistant Commissioner of
Police (ACP) Kofi Boakye, five police officers and three
members of the ship's crew. Trials for the five police
officers and the crew are ongoing.


2. (U) The charges against Abass and Tagor stemmed from a
conversation at ACP Boakye's house, recorded by Tagor, in
which Abass, Tagor, ACP Boakye, and others held a meeting to
discuss why they were not aware of this cocaine shipment.
The tape, when released, initiated a storm of controversy and
implicated Abass, Tagor, Boakye and two others in the missing
cocaine scandal. Everyone heard on the tape was charged,
except for ACP Boakye, who is now attending law school. The
trial judge in the present case said during sentencing that
Boakye had "self confessed" to his role in the crime on the
tape and expressed his displeasure at Attorney General Joe
Ghartey's decision not to prosecute him. The judge went on
to say that it is "not too late to prosecute Kofi Boakye" for
narcotics offenses.


3. (C) COMMENT: This case shocked Ghana when it broke and
highlighted the increasing flow of narcotics transiting
Ghana. It appeared to awaken the GOG to the drug problem,
which dutifully created a commission to investigate and make
recommendations. However, as septel will report, the vast
majority of the recommendations were never implemented. The
press covered the scandals and trials consistently and
reported nearly every development in the long trial. The
convictions of Tagor and Abass are welcome and came just days
after two Venezuelans were convicted for their role in the
East Legon cocaine case (ref C),another case the media
covered extensively. The GOG has taken some postitive steps
lately in the battle against narcotics; however the failure
to prosecute ACP Kofi Boakye is glaring, given incriminating
statements he made during the recorded conversation which
implicate him in cocaine trafficking. It is unclear why
Boakye was not charged, but some contacts have suggested that
Boakye may have some incriminating information on other
individuals, causing the Attorney General to not prosecute
him. Until the GOG has the stomach to fully prosecute and
investigate allegations against all officials and individuals
involved in the drug trade, it will be unable to mount a
serious offensive against the drug barons. END COMMENT.
BRIDGEWATER