The Narcotics Control Commission (NACOC) has found no evidence linking any of the suspects in the Dunkirk cocaine seizure to the security details of former President John Dramani Mahama or Vice President Professor Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang. This clarification came from Alexander Twum-Barimah, NACOC’s Deputy Director-General, during an interview on JoyNews’ Newsfile on September 26.
The controversy arose after Old Tafo MP Vincent Ekow Assafuah claimed that Musah Attah, also known as “Kromo” and one of the suspects, had ties to the presidential security teams. Assafuah shared photographs he said showed Attah close to both Mahama and Opoku-Agyemang, questioning how someone connected to presidential security could be involved in a major international drug case.
Twum-Barimah dismissed those claims. “When we arrest people, we do checks, and there was nothing that showed that any of them worked with the security details of the President or Vice President,” he said. He described Attah as a farmer based on NACOC’s background checks and insisted there was no proof he held any position within the presidency’s security arrangement.
Asked about the photos circulating on social media, Twum-Barimah, who has experience as a presidential security officer, explained how the protection details operate. He said no one would serve simultaneously on both the President’s and Vice President’s security teams. “You will never be made to be a presidential security with the President and also be with the Vice at the same time. It doesn’t work that way. You are with one of them,” he added.
He challenged the public to verify whether any member of either security detail had been arrested in connection with the cocaine case. “Do your own check whether any of the security persons with the President or even with the Vice—they are in different sections or groups—whether any of them have been picked,” Twum-Barimah said.
NACOC had previously issued similar statements following the arrests, saying its preliminary investigations did not identify any of the suspects as presidential escorts. While there have been reports about Attah’s past work in security, these do not confirm he was serving as a presidential security officer at the time of his arrest.
Musah Attah is one of four Ghanaians charged over the attempted export of nearly 3.9 tonnes of cocaine to France. French customs seized the drugs at the Port of Dunkirk on September 10. The cocaine was concealed in a container carrying plastic waste from Ghana. Part of the shipment was reportedly headed for Antwerp, Belgium.
The four accused are Desmond Koranteng Curiel, alias “Biggs”; Musah Attah, alias “Kromo”; Kweku Okyere; and Jessica Hartog. They appeared before the Accra High Court on September 16 and have been remanded to reappear on October 13. They face charges of conspiracy to export narcotic drugs without a licence and the exportation of narcotic drugs. All have pleaded not guilty.
A fifth suspect, Dutch national Jos Leijdekkers, known as “Bolle Jos,” remains at large.
Twum-Barimah also called on the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) to avoid politicising the cocaine seizure. He said Ghana has recorded many narcotics interceptions over the years and urged a calm, fact-based approach to the case.
Investigations into the Dunkirk shipment continue. NACOC is working to establish how the consignment left Ghana and to uncover others who may have been involved.
According to Joy Online.
