Amoateng's case adjourned to January 26, 2015

The case involving Eric Amoateng, a former Member of Parliament (MP) for Nkoranza North, over a forged passport, has been adjourned to January 26, 2015.

This was after the fourth witness, Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) John Kweku Lodonu, CID Headquarters, failed to appear in court.

The prosecution told the court on Friday that the witness had not been well since Thursday and as such could not be present in court.

He prayed the court for the case to be adjourned, assuring it that the witness would be present on the next adjourned date.

Counsel for the accused person, Mr Charles Pouzuing, was expected to continue cross examination of the witness.

Presiding Judge, Madam Helen Amoah, was not happy with the absence of the witness saying such court cases are to be trialed within a particular period of time, thus according to the law such trials should not exceed two weeks

She said it was important for the prosecution to know what exactly was wrong with the witness in order for the court to know how long he would be absent.

At the last adjourned date during cross examination, the counsel for the accused person, Charles Pouzuing, asked whether ASP Lodonu found out who assisted Barbara in acquiring the passport, and he answered in the affirmative.

He said the name of the immigration officer who assisted Barbara in getting the passport was ASP Frank Anane of the Ghana Immigration Service.

When asked whether he was told by Barbara that she never received the passport from the officer, he said he was told and that it was also confirmed to him by the officer.

He said it was true that the passport was in the custody of the GIS, Passport Division, and that according to ASP Anane, when the passport was issued, he called Barbara’s mother to come for it and it was there that he lost contact with them.

When asked whether his investigation revealed the one who picked the passport, in the official records of the GIS, he said at the time of his investigations, there was no official record of the passport at the office of the GIS, and that he obtained it from the BNI who had earlier picked it.

Amoateng is alleged to have travelled to Ghana with a female Ghanaian Passport number H2347080 after serving his conviction abroad.

The accused person pleaded not guilty and was admitted to bail in the sum of GH¢ 200,000.00.

The case of the state was that in December 2005, the accused went to the United States. In the same month, he was arrested for possessing heroin, a narcotic drug.

Amoateng served his sentence and on July 30, he was released from prison.

DSP Dery said on August 7, the accused arrived at the Kotoka International Airport on board a Delta Airline at 1420 hours.

Going through arrival formalities it was detected that he had in his possession a Ghanaian Passport number H2347080, which was allegedly forged, with the bio-data page substituted.