Kofi Boakye Is Back

In what can pass for its most arduous decision yet, the Mills administration through the Police Council, yesterday re-instated Kofi Boakye, Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP), into the Ghana Police Service. The Police Council, headed by Vice President John Dramani Mahama, met yesterday to discuss a number of tough subjects, one of which was the issue of ACP Kofi Boakye who had been on a long leave, owing to adverse findings about him by the Justice Georgina Wood Committee that probed the missing MV Benjamin cocaine saga. It is however not clear which of the unit of the Police Service he would be posted to as sources said he might go to the controversial Bureau of National Investigations (BNI) or the criminal Investigations Department (CID). ACP Kofi Boakye, who was interdicted in 2007 following his role in the MV Benjamin cocaine saga during the erstwhile Kufuor administration, was reinstated in the twilight of the regime by the then President John Agyekum Kufuor. The decision including others taken by the outgoing government was thrown overboard by the Mills team which found the presidential diktat unusual and out of place. Since then, after the second round of the last elections, the gentleman has been sitting in limbo, with occasional media mention about his plight. Mr. Boakye caught the headlines when his outstanding performance at the Ghana Law School earned a number of prizes including Criminal Law when he was called to the Bar. Having studied Biochemistry at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, he joined the Ghana Police Service and served in the laboratory before venturing into mainstream police operation. Before heading to the Greater Accra Regional Police Command, he had a stint with the Striking Force Unit of the Police. He was roped into the MV Benjamin cocaine saga following his hosting of some suspects in the case at his official residence. He made a number of appearances during the proceedings of the Georgina Wood Committee. There was a divided opinion about his hosting of the suspects, with one school of thought finding the action inimical to his position as a police officer. Another school of thought had it that he was only performing his duty of finding out the truth and therefore the action was professional. Some 77 parcels of cocaine vanished under mysterious circumstances a few years ago, a development which assumed political undertones until it was disposed of. ACP Kofi Boakye was Director of Operations at the Police Headquarters in the heady days of the cocaine saga. Notorious armed robbers such as Ataa Aryee were arrested during his tenure as Greater Accra Regional Commander. Also recalled to work at the Narcotics Control Board is Ben Ndego who was asked to proceed on indefinite leave as a result of the missing cocaine. He is being reinstated with full salary according to the Interior Minister, Cletus Avoka. He was interdicted by the Kufuor administration for compromising his position as deputy director and head of operations of NACOB. According to the minister, government has been bombarded with persistent calls by the reinstated person and that since no adverse findings were made against him, the best option is to bring him back.