Families of �Mecca Drug Baron� Go Wild

The family members of Alhaji Mahama Fuseini, a member of the taskforce of Ghana�s Hajj Council who was arrested in Saudi Arabia over drugs, have called on the government to take prompt action to secure his immediate release and return to rejoin his family in Ghana. The October 15, 2012, edition of the Daily Guide reported the arrest of a member of the country�s Hajj Council over drugs in Saudi Arabia during this year�s annual pilgrimage to Mecca. The paper reported that even though the nature of the drugs was not ascertained, the Ghanaian suspect was held for questioning by the Saudi authorities. Upon the discovery of the banned drug in the medicine chest of the Ghanaian medical team, the Saudi officials asked for the owner, whereupon, the suspect claimed ownership. To ascertain the claim further, the Saudi officials reportedly asked for ownership thrice and received same number of confirmations. After being satisfied about the true ownership, the Saudi officials handcuffed the Ghana taskforce member, at which stage the latter sought to explain, but the Saudis were not ready for any explanation, as they whisked him away. A petition signed by the wife of the suspect, Harriet Mahama and sent to the office of the President, a copy of which was made available to DAILY GUIDE, noted that since the reported arrest of Mahama Fuseini, a kingpin of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in Takoradi, all efforts by the family to get a clue on the suspect�s condition had proved futile. According to the wife, her husband had also not been able to communicate with the family since his alleged arrest and incarceration. She lamented that neither the Ghana government nor the Hajj Committee on whose behalf Alhaji Mahama Fuseini proceeded to collect the consignment of the medical drugs in Jeddah, had contacted the family to let them know the fate of their family head. �This apparent silence or tight-lip on the part of the government or the Hajj Committee amply confirms the assertion that the Hajj Committee and the Ghanaian Mission in Saudi Arabia appear to have abandoned Alhaji Mahama,� he stressed in the petition. Mrs. Mahama added that her husband was a law-abiding citizen of Ghana, a gentleman of the first order and a deeply religious man who had never and would never engage in illegalities of any form; much grievous being the trafficking of banned substances. �We are therefore calling on the Ghana government to, as a matter of urgency and priority, institute an investigation into how the banned drugs were imported from Ghana into the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the culprits apprehended and brought to justice,� she appealed. Mrs. Mahama believed that investigations into the case would eventually re-establish the impeccable reputation and good image of her husband and set him out as an innocent man.