The Narcotics Control Commission (NACOC) says preliminary checks into the backgrounds of suspects linked to the €225 million cocaine seizure in France have found no evidence that any of those in its custody served as a presidential escort.
The clarification follows a claim by the New Tafo Member of Parliament, Vincent Ekow Assafuah, that one of the suspects, Musah Atta, was allegedly part of the security detail of President John Dramani Mahama and the Vice President.
Mr Assafuah, in a Facebook post on Friday, September 18, questioned how a person purportedly attached to the presidential security detail could become associated with a major cocaine trafficking case.
However, the Deputy Director-General of NACOC, Mr Alexander Twum-Barimah, said the Commission’s background checks on the suspects in its custody had not established any connection to the presidential security detail.
Speaking on TV3’s Hot Issues on Sunday, September 20, he said NACOC had checked the backgrounds of all the suspects currently in its custody and was familiar with their profiles.
“From the background that we have done, I don’t have any Presidential bodyguard,” he said, adding that further information on the alleged security role of Musah Atta would be required before the Commission could verify the claim.
Mr Twum-Barimah said NACOC would welcome any additional information that could assist its investigations but could not independently confirm the allegation made by the MP.
“If there’s anything that they can give further and better particulars to, it will even help our investigations. But as I sit here I don’t have that, so I cannot confirm whatever Assafuah is saying,” he said.
He also disputed the suggestion that one officer could serve as a close-protection escort for both the President and Vice President simultaneously.
Mr Twum-Barimah, who said he had personally received training as a presidential protection officer in South Africa, explained that security arrangements for the two principals required separate protection teams.
“I am a trained protection escort. I was trained in South Africa as a President’s personal bodyguard even though I don’t use it,” he said.
He explained that an officer assigned as a close escort would be attached to one principal rather than performing a dual role for both the President and Vice President.
“You must be at one wing, and each wing you have enough numbers to run. So, you will not find a close escort who will be running a dual role with the two VIPs,” he said.
The NACOC clarification comes amid investigations into major cocaine seizures linked to Ghana, including the seizure by French customs authorities of nearly 3.9 tonnes of cocaine from a container shipped from Ghana.
