Mystery over cocaine loss-Exhibits store under 24-hour guard & CCTV

Front Page: January 31, 2008.
Story: Albert K. Salia
Police sources have revealed that narcotic substances in the custody of the police were substituted with other substances, despite the fact that the door to the Narcotics Exhibits Store at the Police Headquarters was not damaged.
The acting Director of the Police Public Relations Unit, DSP Kwesi Ofori, who spoke to the Daily Graphic yesterday, confirmed that the exhibits store was also under a 24-hour armed guard and backed by close circuit television (CCTV).
He said the audit team was also yet to establish the exact quantum of missing narcotics, explaining that the audit was still ongoing.
The Interior Ministry, on Tuesday, ordered the arrest of the officer in charge of the Narcotics Exhibits Store at the Police Headquarters following the discovery that narcotic substances in the custody of the police had been compromised and substituted with other substances.
A statement signed by the Minister of the Interior, Mr Kwamena Bartels, explained that the deal was uncovered during a routine audit at the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) of the Ghana Police Service.
It said the exercise was the result of recent changes in the leadership of the CID administration.
DSP Ofori said it was after the audit team had completed its work that the substances used in substituting the narcotics would be analysed to determine what they were.
He said it was possible that the exhibits could have been substituted either on the way from the courts or within the store, explaining that if it was done within the store, the culprits would be found out.
He said it was because the Police Administration wanted to get to the bottom of the matter that it had directed all units and personnel who had something to do at the store to co-operate with the investigative team.
The Director-General of the CID, Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCOP) Frank Adu-Poku, said it did not matter how much was lost but that it was important that officers discharged their duties responsibly.
He said law enforcement officers must learn to live above reproach, since it was their duty to instil confidence in the public psyche.
The statement from the Interior Ministry also announced the setting up of a high-powered panel to investigate the circumstances surrounding the breach of the security of the narcotics storeroom, the replacement of some of the substances and the extent of such replacement.
According to the statement, the investigative panel was required to look at any other matters incidental to the deal and recommend steps to prevent any future recurrence.
The panel has Mr Kojo Armah, the Member of Parliament (MP) for Evalue-Gwira, as its Chairman, and Mr S.J. Afari, Mr Mark Ewuntomah, DCOP Kwasi Nkansah (retd) and Mr J.J. Yidani of the Ministry of the Interior as members.