Christian Asem Darkey, the prime suspect in the MC Benjamin cocaine scandal who had been on police wanted list since April 2006, had all along resided very close to a police station, in Tema.
Darkey, also known as ‘Limping Man,’ lived in House Number 1/J26, Site 21 Community One, about 100 metres from the police station, the Ghanaian Times newspaper is exclusively revealing.
Residents of the neighbourhood said they knew about his presence, before his arrest early this month. They confirmed to the Times that Darkey lived in the house, with his wife and children.
One neighbour (name withheld) said the ‘Limping Man’ spent the last Christmas holidays, holding several parties at his residence. Another young neighbour, said he and some friends were given money by Darkey, anytime they came into contact with him. He said they had known Darkey over the years as a generous person, even before he ran into trouble, and though they knew he was a wanted man, they did not deem it necessary to inform the police about his presence in the vicinity.
Some patrons of the popular drinking bar known as ‘Just For A Change’, or “Shed Five” also claimed they heard he had returned to the neighbourhood last year, and were, therefore, not surprised about his arrest.
‘Shed 5’ is located about 200 metres from House Number 1/J26, where Darkey and his friends of 10, used to hang out, before he was declared wanted six years ago.
When the Times visited the Community One Police Station on Sunday, a senior police officer expressed surprise after story was broken to him. The officer who said he did not have the permission to speak on the matter, said no complaint had been lodged with the station upon which they either refused on failed to act.
Ironically, it was from the same police station that three police officers were arrested, tried and sentenced for their complicity in the MC Benjamin case.
They were Sergeant David Nyarko, Detective Corporal Dwamena Yabson and Lance Corporal Peter Bundorin. The three were each jailed 25 years, for their involvement in the loss of the 76 parcels of cocaine.
The court was told then that the convicts collected an undisclosed amount in U.S. dollars and let Asem Darkey off the hook.
The ‘Limping Man’ allegedly masterminded the importation of the 77 parcels of cocaine, out of which 76 were offloaded at the Kpone Beach, near Tema, on April 26, 2006.
A forth policeman, Detective Sergeant Samuel Yaw Amoah, who allegedly played a leading role, is still on the run after escaping from the premises of the Accra Regional Police Command soon after he was granted bail by an Accra Circuit Court in September, 2006.
Darkey allegedly chartered the MV Benjamin vessel from Dashment Company Limited to cart the cocaine to the Tema port on April 26, 2006.
Source: The Ghanaian Times
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