A 41-year-old Chinese woman, Zhu Dan, has been re-arrested by the Ashanti Regional Drug Law Enforcement Unit of the Ghana Police Service, days after she was allegedly released in exchange for a bribe following her initial arrest for suspected cocaine trafficking.
Sources close to the unit told The Ghanaian Times that Zhu Dan was first arrested on
Sunday, June 15, at the KTV Café in Daaban, a suburb of Kumasi, where she was allegedly caught trading in cocaine. Shockingly, she was released later that same night along with the seized narcotics, reportedly after some officers received an undisclosed amount of money.
“I’m disappointed in the conduct of my colleagues,” a source within the police stated. “The woman was arrested while trading in cocaine. That is a fact no one can deny. Instead of following legal procedure—interrogation and prosecution—the officers allowed her to go free.”
The insider described the action as a serious setback in the fight against drug trafficking in the region.
“This kills staff morale. I want the Inspector General of Police and the Minister for the Interior to take an active interest in this matter. Otherwise, our efforts to combat drug abuse and trafficking in the Ashanti Region will be futile,” the source lamented.
Following widespread disapproval within the service and public pressure—especially after it emerged that a well-connected regional figure may have been aware of the botched arrest—the police moved swiftly to re-arrest the suspect on Monday, June 16.
When contacted, the Unit Commander, Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Frazier Nutakor, confirmed the arrest. He stated that the suspect was picked up around 9:00 p.m. on Sunday at the KTV Café and brought to his attention the following day.
ASP Nutakor, however denied all allegations of bribery and misconduct, maintaining that due process was being followed.
Zhu Dan was arraigned before the Kwadaso Circuit Court on Wednesday, June 18. The presiding judge, Mr Japheth Apua, granted her bail in the sum of GH¢400,000 with two sureties, one of whom must be justified.
Meanwhile, the Ashanti Regional Police Command has yet to release an official statement, declining to provide further details to both the media and the public.
The case has sparked concerns among law enforcement officers and the general public, with calls growing louder for accountability and transparency in handling drug-related crimes.
FROM KINGSLEY E.HOPE, KUMASI