Musah Attah Kromo, a suspect in the recent €225 million France narcotics bust, has been linked to Ghana's top leaders through new photographs. The images, circulating on social media, show Attah alongside President John Dramani Mahama and Vice President Professor Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang at official and private events. In one photo, Attah is seen cutting a cake with the Vice President, sparking questions about his relationship with the presidential team.
The Narcotics Control Commission (NACOC) has denied claims that Attah or any of the four suspects charged over the narcotics bust belonged to the presidential security detail. NACOC Deputy Director-General Alexander Twum-Baah stated that background checks on the suspects revealed no evidence of any presidential security connection. He urged anyone making such claims to present themselves and account for the allegation.
New Tafo MP Vincent Ekow Assifuah had alleged that Attah served as part of the presidential security team, but the Presidency has yet to issue an official statement. The photographs have sparked renewed scrutiny of security at Ghana's ports, with President Mahama recently convening a meeting with security chiefs to address narcotics incidents and tighten border controls.
Attah and three others, including East Legon Spa owner Jessica Hartog, are facing charges of conspiracy to export narcotics without a licence and unlawful exportation of narcotics. The four accused appeared before the High Court in Accra on September 16 and were remanded in custody pending a return date in October. NACOC announced the arrests on September 12, following a search of a residence in East Legon that led to the recovery of three firearms, ammunition, and luxury vehicles.
Investigators have made further discoveries linked to the case, including a substantial sum of money. The arrests have drawn attention to the need for enhanced security measures at Ghana's ports. President Mahama has directed that a two-week action plan be developed to tighten border controls and prevent similar incidents in the future.
The case has also sparked comparisons with a recent arrest in Nigeria, where businessman Dunu Bethel Ebubechukwu was arrested by the NDLEA over alleged illicit white powder shipments to Saudi Arabia. The NDLEA alleged that Ebubechukwu used a legitimate business as a cover for an international operation, highlighting the need for vigilance in monitoring business activities.
The Ghanaian authorities are yet to comment on the implications of the photographs showing Attah with the President and Vice President. The investigation into the narcotics bust is ongoing, with NACOC and other security agencies working to uncover the full extent of the operation and identify any other individuals involved.
Key points
- Musah Attah Kromo, a suspect in the €225m France narcotics bust, has been photographed with Ghana's President Mahama and Vice President Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang.
- The Narcotics Control Commission has denied claims that Attah or any of the suspects belonged to the presidential security detail.
- The arrests have sparked renewed scrutiny of security at Ghana's ports, with President Mahama directing that a two-week action plan be developed to tighten border controls.
