Rejoinder: Bribery, cocaine and scandal

On 31st May, 2005, www.ghanaweb.com published a story with the above title detailing how four Policemen, as well as one Derrick Osei Owusu, then a soldier with the British Army who attempted to extort $60,000.00 from two persons they had arrested for possessing substances suspected to be cocaine, were remanded into police custody, by an Accra circuit court, alongside their victims, on charges of extortion and possession of narcotic drugs.

According to the story, Mr. Osei Owusu, the British soldier, claimed ownership of the suspected cocaine, stating that the four policemen had demanded from them $60,000 bribe. According to him, they however, could not afford the amount, but managed to raise $18,000, 60,000 and 30,000GHC which they gave to the policemen, in order to gain their freedom, but they were not released, until they were arrested.

But in a statement released by the family of the accused copying this outlet, they noted that “Derick Osei Owusu is an ex British army officer with impeccable and verifiable records.

He had worked with Asante Kotoko and the under 17 national team as their fitness coach and is currently the fitness coach for the Ugandan under 17 team….

It was a clear case of Mr Derick Osei Owusu being mistakenly accused of an alleged crime. The case was investigated and Mr Owusu was cleared of any involvement in the matter.

He subsequently continued his term in the British army and that wouldn’t have been possible if your reported story was true. We therefore apologise for the mar in the reputation of Derek Osei Owusu.

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