The University of Ghana Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research (NMIMR) has stated that accusations by one Kofi Acheampong that it falsified his coronavirus test result and is exploiting clients for monetary reasons as false.
In a statement sent to GhanaWeb on the findings of a 5-member committee to conduct internal investigations into the allegations at the institute, it showed that apart from the "positive Covid-19 PCR test result, NMIMR does not have records of a negative Covid-19 PCR test result for Kofi Acheampong."
It said further that contrary to claims by Kofi Acheampong, "he neither received a phone call from anyone at NMIMR promising to change the test results at a fee nor did he return to NMIMR after he left the place on 12th January, 2021."
"Investigation also unearthed that, Kofi Acheampong did not use a falsified COVID-19 test result to travel to the UK on British Airways, flight 075. Checks with British Airways indicated that the company did not request for a COVID-19 test report as a condition for Kofi Acheampong to board their flight. At the time Kofi Acheampong left for UK on 12th January, 2021, a COVID-19 test report was not a prerequisite for travel on British
Airways flights," the statement clarified.
Besides, the statement said that Kofi Acheampong refused to cooperate with the committee in the investigations.
"Several phone discussions with Kofi Acheampong, who is in the UK, to get him to assist with the investigation proved futile as on each occasion, he indicated he would prefer his lawyer to speak on the issue. He however failed to honour his many promises to provide the phone contact of the said lawyer," it said.
However, the findings of the NMIMR committee that investigated the matter gave some reasons on why there could have been a possibility for the change in his results from positive to negative, as he claimed.
"Without giving credence to the supposedly UK NHS negative COVID-19 result that was also circulated on social media, we would like to state that, scientifically, it is possible for a person to test positive for COVID-19 and convert to negative status within a few days. The technical data from Mr. Kofi Acheampong’s COVID-19 test gave a cycle threshold (Ct) value of 36.12, which suggested that his viral load was low, or he was on the path to
recovery."
The matter was also investigated by the National Intelligence Bureau (NIB).
Read the full statement below.
Noguchi says it has no records of negative test results from Kofi Acheampong