Alhaji Issa Abbas, formerly convicted and later acquitted and discharged in the controversial MV Benjamin cocaine case has told Citi FM that he welcomes President Mills’s directive that the case be re-opened. Alhaji Abbass and Mr Kwabena Amaning, alias Tagor were jailed 15 years with hard labour for drug offenses by an Accra Fast track High Court. They were first arrested in August 2006 after appearing before the Georgina Woode Committee which probed the disappearance of 77 parcels of cocaine aboard the vessel. The court presided over by Justice Jones Dotse found Tagor guilty on two counts of conspiracy to commit crime and promoting narcotics. Alhaji Issa Abbass was also found guilty for conspiracy to commit crime and engaging in prohibited business related to narcotics. President Mills told Parliament in his third State of the Nation address that he has directed the case to be re-opened for further investigations so the perpetrators could be arrested and prosecuted. Speaking to Citi News, Alhaji Issa said fresh investigations will completely clear his name of all allegations. “When something you don’t know anything about is put on you and you are incarcerated for fifteen years in prison, I don't think that anybody will be happy. I have been released on appeal but I am still not happy so I want the whole thing to be cleared so the world will know that I am not a drug baron as it was alleged”. “The government knows how they are going to run their investigations but when I am called I am willing to tell them what I know. I am ready to answer every question that I am asked”. Alhaji Abbas told Citi News that the incarceration has cast a slur on his reputation and completely jeopardized business making life unbearable for him and his family. Alhaji Abbas and Tagor spent three years in prison before their release. They were suspected to have been involved in the disappearance of the parcels of cocaine at the Tema Harbour. Source: Citifm