Weija-Gbawe MP Jerry Ahmed Shaib has described the continued detention of Salomey Awiti Baffoe as a “facade” meant to divert attention from Ghana’s growing cocaine controversy.
Speaking on Joy FM, Mr Shaib said he was not satisfied with the court’s decision to keep Ms Baffoe in custody, arguing that she is facing a misdemeanor offence and has three young children.
“Obviously not,” he said when asked whether he was satisfied with the judge’s decision.
“Against the background that you are dealing with a misdemeanor offence, and you are dealing with a woman who has three children, who children are very young, and there is every reason that she’s not going to interfere with the investigations.”
Mr Shaib said he believed the attention on Ms Baffoe was being used to shift public discussion away from the cocaine issue.
“I actually just think that this is just a facade, a way to divert attention from us speaking largely about the cocaine economy. That is all,” he said.
He described the scale of recent cocaine seizures as a more pressing issue and questioned why attention was being focused on Ms Baffoe.
“If 3.9 tonnes of cocaine are being arrested… the whole thing has just become a cocaine economy. That is all. This woman is just being used as a scapegoat, a way to divert attention from the main issue, cocaine,” he stated.
Mr Shaib also challenged the argument that releasing Ms Baffoe could allow her to interfere with the cyber-related investigation by deleting evidence.
“We don’t have a cybercrime unit, and that she would now suo motu move and go and delete? What are we talking about?” he questioned.
He said investigators already had access to Ms Baffoe’s electronic devices, making it difficult for him to understand how her release would allow her to interfere with the evidence.
“Meanwhile, you have the gadgets. No, that is an insult. You have everything of hers. So how is the person going to deal with that?” he asked.
Mr Shaib said the investigation into the cocaine seizures should receive greater attention, particularly regarding how the shipment of nearly 3.9 tonnes of cocaine moved from Ghana.
“3.9 tonnes. That is huge. How did it move from the Tema port straight to wherever it went to? Which is more critical. And that is what we need to be. If there are issues of cocaine, deal with the issues of cocaine,” he added.
