I received Boakye tape through Federal Express - Witness

Accra, May 16, GNA - Professor John Peter French, an international forensic scientist who worked on the controversial ACP Kofi Boakye tape, on Wednesday told an Accra Fast track High Court that he received the tape through Federal Express, a courier service.

Professor French admitted that the recorded conversation was transferred onto a different Compact Disc.

According to him the conversation took place in an open place with five participants at the said meeting.

Prof. French said these when answering questions under cross-examination by Mr Ellis Owusu-Fordjour, counsel for Kwabena Amaning, aka Tagor.

Tagor and Alhaji Issa Abass, alleged self-confessed drug barons, are being held for drug-related offence.

Tagor has additionally been charged with carrying out prohibited business relating to narcotic drugs, buying and supplying of narcotic drugs, while Abass is being held for carrying out prohibited business relating to narcotic drugs and supplying narcotic drugs. They have pleaded not guilty before the court presided over by Mr Justice Jones Dotse. The accused have been remanded in custody. Prof. French admitted requesting for recorded sample voices of the participants to enable him to find out who said what. He said sample voices were to be taken without any duress as anything otherwise would mar the recordings.

According to him if the participants were made aware of the recordings, they might refuse to talk. When asked whether the said conversation during the meeting was acted, Prof. French said though there were some interactions, there was tension amidst.

Witness said he would not be surprised if one of the participants recorded the conversation maintaining that ACP Kofi Boakye and Kwabena Acheampong spoke louder that the rest.

When Mr Mohammed Attah, counsel for Abass, took his turn, Professor French admitted that the content on the CD in evidence were the same but indicated that it had minor differences.

The court, however, ordered that the content of the hard drive disc should be copied on another CD in an open court. The case of the Prosecution is 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. Hearing continues on May 17. 16 May 07