Police Quiz 4 Over Lost Documents

The Cantonments Police in Accra, are questioning four workers of the Forest Service Division of the Forestry Commission over the loss of a Central Processing Unit (CPU) of a computer containing vital documents on the operations of the division.

They are Elijah Tagoe, Hayford Ofori and Amyn Okine, all security men and the Systems Analyst, Ofoe Portuphy.

The CPU contains vital data, including information on forest concessions, confidential investigation reports , disciplinary matters and major correspondences which date back to 1999.

The CPU was in the office of the secretary to the Director of Operations of the division. Its loss has created panic, acrimony and mutual suspicion at the division.

Commander of the Cantonments District of the Ghana Police Service, Mr Franklin A. B. Addei, told the Daily Graphic yesterday that the four had been granted bail.

He said the incident was reported by Mr George Kojo Fantomas, an administrator in charge of security at the division.

Mr Addei said the police found that three louvre blades removed at the scene had been replaced by the security men before the police arrived.

Fingerprints of the suspects and those found at the scene are being analysed by the police and the results will determine the next line of action.

The division was established to protect and manage the existing forest reserves in the country, which constitute 11 per cent of Ghana's land area.

It is also to support the effective management of timber resources in off-reserve areas .

Story by Doreen Allotey