Tagor: Abbas recorded Boakye tape

Accra, July 17, GNA - Kwabena Amaning, aka Tagor, on Tuesday told an Accra Fast Track High Court that Alhaji Issah Abbas, with whom he is standing trial for narcotic offences, was the one who recorded the controversial Kofi Boakye tape.

He said Abbas told him that he was asked by the Narcotics Control Board (NACOB) to do the recording because they believed Assistant Commissioner of Police Kofi Boakye had a questionable character and they wanted to trap him.

Tagor, who was opening his defence, said he was shown the tape recorder by Abbas who told him that they were going to compel ACP Kofi Boakye to talk.

Led by his counsel, Mr Ellis Owusu-Fordjour, he said Abbas told him the action was a bait to get at ACP Kofi Boakye.

Tagor, 34 and Alhaji Abass, 53, alleged self-confessed drug barons, are jointly charged for conspiracy and are being tried for drug-related offences.

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 and the court has remanded them in prison custody.

Tagor told the court presided over by Mr Justice Jones Dotse, an Appeals Court Judge that Abbas coached him about what to say at the meeting.

He mentioned Abbas, Moro and one Ahoto, a bodyguard of ACP Kofi Boakye, as among those who were present at the meeting.

Tagor denied that he and Abbas promised to trace the 76 parcels of cocaine that went missing on board the MV Benjamin.

He said it was rather ACP Kofi Boakye who instructed them to put their ears to the ground to find out who had collected the cocaine. He added that all that he said at the meeting was a bait for ACP Kofi Boakye to talk.

Tagor also denied doing business in narcotics, saying he never credited 100 kilograms of cocaine to anybody and collected payment in Holland.

He further denied ever buying a house from one Chris Asher for his late driver, Kofi Asare.

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