BNI asks for more time to complete work on missing cocaine

The Government has granted a request by the Bureau of National Investigations (BNI) for an extension of time beyond the seven-day time frame given to it to investigate the circumstances under which substance that was tested as cocaine turned into sodium bicarbonate.

A statement signed in Accra on Tuesday by Mr Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, Deputy Minister of Information, said the BNI had requested for the extension in order to complete its investigations.

Government has, however, indicated that the BNI has up to Friday, January 6, 2012 to present its report to President John Evans Atta Mills.

On December 14, 2011, the Government tasked the BNI to unravel the mystery surrounding how a substance suspected to be cocaine and handed over to an Accra Circuit Court turned into sodium bicarbonate.

The BNI was given seven days to submit its report on whether the substance handed over to the court by the Police in September 2011 was the same substance that was later presented to the Ghana Standards Authority for testing.

The statement said the “Government is not taking this matter lightly and that there is utmost determination to unravel the mystery and let justice reign”.

A committee set up by the Chief Justice to also investigate the matter has, meanwhile, completed its work and submitted its report to the Chief Justice, Mrs Georgina Wood.

Source: GNA