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22.11.2014 General News

NACOB Lying

By Daily Guide
NACOB Lying
22.11.2014 LISTEN

Dr Edward Omane Boamah and Akrasi Sarpong.
The British government has denied any collaboration with Ghana's Narcotics Control Board (NACOB) in the arrest of Nayele Ametefeh, aka Ruby Adu-Gyamfi, who was caught allegedly possessing cocaine at the Heathrow Airport in London.

NACOB had claimed that it collaborated with its British partners in the arrest of Nayele Ametefeh, who was carrying 12.5kg of substance suspected to be cocaine from Ghana, with a street value of €5 million.

The arrest has since become a major issue for discussion in both Ghana and abroad, with the government trying to absolve itself of any blame or responsibility, especially with the allegation that Ruby was carrying a diplomatic passport during her arrest.

A statement issued by the British High Commission in Accra yesterday dismissed the statement by NACOB, saying the UK security set-up did not know about the movements of the lady to London.

According to the statement, even though the UK authorities had been working closely with NACOB since 2006, they 'had no prior knowledge of the intentions of Ms Nayele Ametefeh before flying from Accra to London on 9/10 November.'

The statement emphasised, 'UK authorities work closely with NACOB to ensure that wherever possible, any potential drug trafficker to the UK from Ghana is arrested here in Ghana and not permitted to board a flight in order to traffic drugs.'

NACOB had said in a press release Monday evening that the suspect 'was arrested on the 10th of November, 2014 through the collaborative effort of the Narcotics Control Board (NACOB) and its British partners.'

The statement, signed by NACOB's Deputy Executive secretary (E & C), Richard Nii Lante Blankson, said that Ms Ametefeh travelled on an Austrian passport and not with a Ghanaian diplomatic passport.

'It is worthy to note that Ms Nayele Ametefeh travelled on Austrian passport number P4187659 and not on Ghanaian Diplomatic passport as being speculated.

she also had in her possession an ordinary Ghanaian passport number G0364497 issued on 3rd August, 2012.'

That bit on the diplomatic passport by NACOB also appeared to be a lie, as an Austrian newspaper, Kronen Zeitung, on Thursday reported that Ruby brandished a diplomatic passport when suspicious security details at the Heathrow Airport stopped her.

It reinforced the diplomatic passport detail in the narration currently being vehemently deflected by Ghanaian authorities. The Austrian newspaper, which is over 100 years old, said in German, 'A person landing with 12.5 kilos of cocaine in her suitcase in one of the well guarded airports in the world must either be absolutely stupid or must have the most rock solid belief that she is securely guarded by some superior powers.

'In this case, the statements from the authorities differ when it comes to the Austrian lady who was caught in London. she is Ghanaian born and the lady pulled out her Ghanaian diplomatic passport to help her gain smooth entry with her stash.

'There were 10 packets in the case, which is the equivalent of €5 million, in her carry-on suitcase, causing a lot of commotion at Heathrow airport.

'The mysterious dealer pulled out her diplomatic passport but it didn`t help her much. Then she pulled out her red white coloured EU passport which was issued in Linz in 2010. But the Austrian identity didn`t help her get past the aviation security either. After which a third document appeared which made the security even more anxious.'

Denial
But Dr Edward Omane Boamah, Ghana's Communications Minister, insists there is no evidence backing the report that Ruby was holding a diplomatic passport.

He told Joy FM that the mere fact that an Austrian newspaper had published the claims was not prima facie evidence that the drug courier indeed holds a Ghanaian diplomatic passport.

Members of government communications team have been fighting tooth and nail on radio to exonerate the administration of any wrongdoing since the issue broke.

According to Dr Omane-Boamah, 'The evidence available does not suggest that she has a diplomatic passport…and I have assured you that if there is any shred of evidence that she has a diplomatic passport, we will follow that line.”

The travel history records of the lady, he noted, indicates that she has used only two passports - an ordinary Ghanaian passport and an Austrian passport.

Ruby reportedly used the VVIP wing of the Kotoka International Airport (KIA) for her abortive trip, which the government is yet to discount.

Questions have been raised as to how the lady, who was said to be among others wielding a Ghanaiandiplomatic and an Austrian passport, managed to beat security checks at the Kotoka International Airport – if not aided by state agencies.

Dr Omane-Boamah also supported the British High Commission that NACOB knew nothing about Ruby's movement.

'I state here and now that we discount the claims until NACOB provides the evidence that it collaborated with the British intelligence.

'I discounted NACOB's claims that they collaborated with the British intelligence with respect to this particular arrest. 'However, to give them the benefit of the doubt, I also indicated that if they release evidence to contradict that discount that I had put out there, I was ready to change my position,' he said before the British High Commission clarified the issue.

Passport Boss Invited
Meanwhile, the Acting Director of Passports, Alexander Ntrakwa, has been questioned by the Bureau of National Investigations (BNI) over the diplomatic passport saga.

The minister added, 'If at any point in time, there is any shred of evidence and we can be held that she had a diplomatic passport, why not… at this stage there's nothing that shows that she had a diplomatic passport.'

Dr Omane Boamah also revealed that government had tracked the travel history of the lady and said, 'You have just looked at two aspects of the sources.

There is a third aspect which I mentioned which is what corroborates what the Director of Passport said… I made mention of the two passports that the lady has been travelling on—a travel history report and that corroborates what the Director of Passport indicated.'

An Austrian newspaper has revealed that Nayele Ametefeh travelled with a number of passports, including Ghanaian diplomatic and ordinary passports and Austrian passport.

By Charles Takyi-Boadu

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