Speaker Bagbin Names 21 Accused Persons in Four Pending Cocaine-Related Cases

Speaker of Parliament Alban Bagbin has disclosed that 21 people are currently standing trial in four separate narcotics-related cases pending before Ghanaian courts, as he explained his decision to reject a proposed parliamentary inquiry into major cocaine seizures linked to Ghana.

The disclosure came during Parliament’s emergency sitting on Tuesday, September 29, 2026, after the Minority sought the establishment of a bipartisan ad hoc committee to investigate major narcotics consignments allegedly processed, cleared and exported from Ghana.

Why Bagbin Rejected the Inquiry

Speaker Bagbin ruled that the proposed parliamentary investigation could overlap substantially with issues already before the courts.

According to him, the four pending cases involve about 21 accused persons, meaning that a parliamentary inquiry into the same transactions could potentially examine evidence, witnesses and questions of responsibility that are already part of ongoing criminal proceedings.

He therefore ruled the Minority’s motion inadmissible under the relevant Parliamentary Standing Orders, citing concerns that the proposed inquiry could prejudice the interests of parties involved in the court cases.

The Cases Behind the Controversy

The parliamentary debate follows several major narcotics seizures involving consignments linked to Ghana.

Among the cases is the seizure in France of nearly four tonnes of suspected cocaine concealed in a shipment of plastic waste originating from Ghana. Four Ghanaian nationals have been remanded in connection with that case, while a fifth suspect, Dutch national Jos Leijdekkers, is reportedly at large.

The Minority had proposed that Parliament examine issues including how the consignments were processed and cleared, the roles of state agencies and private companies, port security and the progress of investigations.

Minority Challenges Speaker’s Decision

Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin has rejected the Speaker’s reasoning, arguing that the proposed inquiry was intended to examine institutional and systemic weaknesses rather than determine the guilt or innocence of people before the courts.

He maintained that Parliament could investigate issues such as customs procedures, container scanning, intelligence sharing and coordination between state agencies without conducting a parallel criminal trial.

The disagreement has intensified debate over the limits of parliamentary oversight when related criminal matters are already before the courts.

Cocaine Seizures Put Ghana Under Scrutiny

The parliamentary dispute comes amid growing international attention to narcotics trafficking involving Ghana.

Recent seizures include the 3.9-tonne cocaine shipment intercepted by French Customs at Dunkirk and an earlier seizure of 320 kilogrammes of methamphetamine by Australian authorities from a shipment originating from Ghana.

President John Mahama has already directed security agencies to review Ghana’s systems for detecting and preventing narcotics trafficking through the country’s ports and borders.

For now, the criminal cases involving the 21 accused persons will proceed through the courts, while the political debate over whether Parliament should separately investigate the broader institutional issues surrounding the narcotics seizures continues.