Top MP visits cocaine ‘Cleopatra’

• Posted on November 29, 2014November 29, 2014
• by Nana Kwesi Coomson
• Comment

Information available to DAILY GUIDE indicates that a very leading Member of Parliament (MP) in the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) visited the East Legon home and family residence of cocaine smuggling suspect, Ruby Adu-Gyamfi, soon after her arrest in London.

The MP, who represents a largely populated constituent and is influential in Parliament, is said to have rushed to the residence to commiserate with the members of the family on the arrest of their kith and kin.

Ruby last Thursday pleaded guilty in a London court after confessing to carrying the class A illicit drug valued at over $5 million. She will be sentenced on January 5, 2015.

The cocaine ‘magadjia’ or baroness, according to sources, had been in the drug business for a long time and had acquired several properties in and around Accra. She has three children and siblings.

Meanwhile, reports in other local news media indicate that the drug dealer, called severally as Ruby Appiah, Nayele Ametefeh and Irene Tawiah, did call the prominent politician from the Kotoka International Airport when the cocaine luggage was ‘safely’ delivered to her and made another call when she arrived at the London Heathrow Airport before the eagle-eyed security agents pounced on her.

The reports say she was carrying three mobile phones and four sim cards which contained a trove of information for investigators. It is believed that these discoveries led to her early admission of guilt at the Isleworth court and her readiness to carry the heavy load of imprisonment.

The records on one of her phones indicate that she made a telephone call to a very prominent Ghanaian politician on her arrival at the Accra International Airport for that fateful trip.

She called that same Ghanaian politician when the aircraft was about to take off and when it touched down at the Heathrow Airport.

The phone records also show that while on the aircraft, Ruby called a prominent Ghanaian businessman to indicate that all was well with her.

There are credible reports that Ghanaian intelligence had good reason to place Ruby under surveillance for more than three years.

Insider sources have confirmed that Ruby used the VIP lounge for her last trip to the United Kingdom, in spite of the fact that she was not qualified to do so.

The Insight, one of the newspapers with insider information on the scandal, has hinted that the cocaine was delivered to her on the aircraft by a well-placed official who is currently under arrest.

On Thursday our correspondent at the UK court, Kate Pratt, spoke to the prosecutor who indicated that he received the docket on the case barely a day before the hearing.

Prosecutor Revinden Johal told our Correspondent he was surprised at the speed with which Ruby conceded to the crime.

“I was alerted to this case only yesterday (Wednesday). I read some stuff online that seems to indicate this was not an ordinary case. There were political ramifications that go all the way to the top in Ghana’s political system, and the accused carries with her some aura, some kind of ‘Cleopatra’ of the drugs trade in that part of Africa.

“You can see why she is not your ordinary drugs smuggler.  What is extraordinary is this speed with which she gets arrested on a BA flight and two weeks later she pleads guilty.

“The procedure was normal, there were barely any facts and details as she was simply asked how she pled to which she quickly pleaded guilty.

“I don’t think anyone had anticipated the guilty plea.” Her lawyer on the other hand, refused to speak to anxious Ghanaians as it seemed she had prior knowledge about the deep interest by Ghanaians in the case.

She took the family members present—about four women—to a room for briefing after the hearing that lasted barely five minutes.