Help me retrieve my seven cars - Witness

A witness at the National Reconciliation Commission (NRC) on Wednesday petitioned the Commission to retrieve seven cars he brought from the United States to sell in Ghana but which the police seized in 1992.

Nana Kwasi Sayon, a Rastafarian, said though he was made to give a statement at the Police Headquarters where the police sent him after the cars were seized, he was not told the reason for his arrest.

He said when he contacted Naval Captain Baffuor Assasie-Gyimah (Rtd) to help him retrieve his cars, the Captain asked whether he was dealing in drugs in the US.

He added that Interpol might have sent a report to effect his arrest.

Sayon said he never dealt in drugs, adding that the seven cars were among 10 that he bought together with his seven brothers in the US out of hard work.

He said he and his brothers bought the cars that include three pickups at 300,000 US dollars excluding 15,000 dollars duty he paid on the seven cars, adding that he was allowed to clear the pickups for free.

Sayon said he agreed with his brothers to use the proceeds from the sale of the cars to put up buildings for them in Ghana.

He said when Captain Assasie-Gyimah gave him a note to the Police Headquarters to claim his cars he saw only the three pickups.

He added that the police informed him that the seven luxury cars had been given to the Bureau of National Investigations (BNI) because it was short of vehicles for its operations.

Sayon said the police at the Headquarters promised him that the operations would be completed in three weeks after which the cars would be given back to him. However, since that encounter in 1992, he had not heard a word about the cars.

He said he had become a pauper living on charity and pleaded with the Commission to help him secure his cars. Sayon who had earlier been implicated by his former girlfriend, alleged that she conspired with the military to arrest and torture him when he severed relationship with her after their return from Germany in 1982.

He said he sojourned to Germany in 1976 and brought three cars back home in 1982, which he sold, but spent a greater part of the proceeds extravagantly.

Sayon said he fell in love with the lady and he bought a ticket for her and they both travelled to Germany.

However, the lady refused to work in the restaurant where he secured a job for her.

According to Sayon he worked hard on a potato farm and within one Year, bought an almost brand new Toyota Corolla car. The lady pestered him to sell the car and travel with her back home.

After much hesitation he brought the lady back home but severed relationship with her when they returned in 1982.

The lady had relations with an army officer and used that influence to arrange with some soldiers who picked him up and sent him to the Recce Regiment where he spent about one week.

Sayon said he was stabbed at the back with knives, given 50 lashes of the cane on the orders of one Achiana, a soldier and friend of Sgt Alolga Akatapore, a PNDC member.

He said at various times, soldiers burned his face with cigarette butts.

Sayon said the soldiers put him in a room, which contained a bag of the late general Akwasi Amankwa Afrifa. He said he was scared and could not sleep as strange noise emanated from the bag.

He said that he was sent to a military tribunal set up in the late General Acheampong's house and during interrogations, soldiers slapped him.

Sayon said he fell ill and was admitted at the 37 Military Hospital. When he recovered, he was made to join a refuse collection squad in markets in the Accra metropolis. He was also made to join a team to thresh maize that the soldiers had looted from nearby villages.

According to Sayon, Major Courage Quashigah ordered his release when he came on rounds at the Burma Camp and he explained the circumstances that led to his detention to him.

Hearing on the case continues on Thursday.