Cocaine case goes on

Accra, April 4, GNA - Police Detective Inspector Charles Adaba, an investigator on Wednesday told an Accra Fast Track High Court that his investigations revealed that a meeting was held in Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Kofi Boakye's house at Kanda in Accra. He said the meeting convened by ACP Boakye, was to ascertain who was spreading rumours about the 76 missing parcels of cocaine on board the MV Benjamin.

ACP Boakye also wanted to know from the accused persons, other participants who had gone to steal the 76 parcels of cocaine. He said on April 25, last year, a vessel called MV Benjamin used by Sheriff Asem Dake, now at large, carried 77 parcels of cocaine. He said when security personnel received information on the vessel, 76 of the parcels of cocaine had been taken away.

Detective Inspector Adaba made this known when he was concluding his evidence in chief in the case of Kwabena Amaning alias Tagor and Alhaji Issah Abass, 53, alleged self-confessed drug barons, who have been jointly charged for conspiracy.

Tagor has additionally been charged for carrying out prohibited business relating to narcotic drugs, buying and supplying of narcotic drugs while Abass is also being held for carrying out prohibited business relating to narcotic drugs and supplying narcotic drugs. They have pleaded not guilty.

The court, presided over by Mr Justice J. Dotse has remanded them in prison custody.

Highlighting on his finding during his investigations, Inspector Adaba said during the meeting at ACP Boakye's house, Tagor and Abass allegedly confessed dealing in cocaine by supplying and crediting them to people. He said during the meeting the accused persons and other participants indicated that they were going to find out who took the 76 parcels away because, the parcels were too much for one person to share.

Detective Inspector Adaba tendered into evidence additional five compact discs bearing the secret recordings of the accused, which he made during interrogation and given to a voice expert. The expert, the investigator said prepared a transcript and a report of various voices on the CD.

Inspector Adaba said the transcript, which was in Akan, was translated into English.

He stated that after receiving the transcript, he took statement from Alhaji Abass but Tagor declined to give his.

According to him, Tagor mentioned that he would only offer the statement in the presence of his Lawyer, Nana Asante Bediatu. He sought permission of the court to tender and play another recording of accused person during police interrogation.

This, Mr Ellis Owusu Fordjour, counsel for Tagor said was not necessary but rather suggested that copies be given to them.

The court overruled defence application not to play the tape but ordered that copies of the CD be given to them. The duration of recordings took one hour each.

The case of the Prosecution is that the accused are self-confessed drug barons, who since 2004 have been actively engaged in activities of promoting and establishing various enterprises relating to narcotic drugs.

In the process, the accused persons purchased, supplied, paid and credited the drugs, which they further distributed outside and within the country.

The Prosecution said on April 26, 2006, MV Benjamin anchored in Tema breakwaters with 77 parcels of cocaine. However, 76 parcels were offloaded into two canoes, which landed at the Kpone beach in the Greater Accra Region.

The Prosecution said the news of the 76 parcels got to people of the underworld and even the security agencies also had wind of it. Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Kofi Boakye invited them to a meeting in his house at Kanda in relation to the missing cocaine. At that meeting, the accused persons voluntarily confessed to their dealings in narcotic business and even boasted openly of previous activities.

The accused in the process also confessed openly that they had purchased drugs, supplied, credited and distributed drugs outside. The accused at ACP Kofi Boakye's house also agreed to locate the 76 parcels of cocaine seized and share it in furtherance of their business because the quantity of cocaine brought in by the MV Benjamin was too much for one person to enjoy.

The Government set up the Georgina Wood Committee to investigate some cocaine-related cases, including the MV Benjamin case and alleged bribery of Senior Police Officers in a 588 kilos of the drug seized from some Venezuelans at East Legon in Accra. Hearing continues on April 5, 2007.