The police officer who was cited in the bizarre case of cocaine exhibit in police custody turning into baking soda has been acquitted.
The Human Rights Division of the High Court has ordered the Ghana Police Service to reinstate DSP Gifty Mawuenyega Tehoda.
She is also to receive her full salary for the entire duration of the five years that the case travelled as well as damages of GHS 23,000.
Justice Gifty Adjei Addo, who presided over the case, held that both the detention and dismissal of Mr Tehoda from the police service were wrongful.
In her Friday, March 31, 2017 judgment, the judge said the Bureau of National Investigation which picked up the police officer in 2012 and detained her over the case acted unlawfully.
The then Deputy Commander in charge of the Commercial Crimes Unit of the Police Service was interdicted in September 2011 following the arrest of one Nana Ama Martins who was accused of possessing parcels of substances suspected to be cocaine.
The parcels of suspected cocaine somehow metamorphosed into baking soda under mysterious circumstances in court.
Gifty Tehoda was linked to the disappearance of the cocaine and was arrested, interdicted and dismissed shortly after.
In the ensuing court case to establish the extent of her involvement in the cocaine-turned-baking-soda scandal, she was acquitted and discharged unconditionally by the Circuit Court in 2012.
Three years after her acquittal the police service failed to reinstate her into the service.
She consequently proceeded to the High Court (Human Rights Division) accusing the Service of wrongful dismissal and praying the court to order the service to reinstate her.
Her lawyers also demanding compensation for what they described as “unlawful detention and for withholding her promotion.”
Mrs Tehoda once told Joy News, “Everybody got to know it was a conspiracy [against me],” but did not name who she suspected were behind the setup.
“I am innocent. I have not done anything,” she pleaded, adding, “I am waiting for the day of declaration.”
That day of declaration came on Friday, March 31, 2017 with some damages and an order for her reinstatement and handsome salary.
