I did not conduct investigations on my own - Investigator

An investigator in the case in which six senior Police officers are standing trial for their involvement in the 9 May Stadium Disaster on Thursday told a High Court that he did not conduct a personal investigation into the death of the 127 football fans.

Detective Inspector Hanson Gove of the Criminal Investigations Department of the Ghana Police Service said he did not visit the scene of the 9 May Stadium Disaster because he was only asked to investigate and charge the accused persons for manslaughter.

Led in evidence by Anthony Gyambiby, Principal State Attorney, he said his superior officers told him that the Commission of Inquiry had completed the greater part of the investigations into the matter.

The officers on trial are John Asare Naami, Faakyi Kumi, Frank Awuah, Francis Aryee, Benjamin B. Bakomora, all Assistant Superintendent of Police and Chief Superintendent of Police, Koranteng Mintah.

They have been charged with 127 counts of manslaughter. All the officers, who have denied the charges, are on 20 million cedis bail each with two sureties.

Inspector Gove, who is the 10th Prosecution Witness, explained that he was instructed by the Police authorities to expedite action on the investigation by collecting cautioned and charged statements from the accused persons.

He said on 2 November 2001, he was given a government White Paper entitled "Presidential Inquiry into the Accra Sports Stadium Disaster" that was signed by the then Minister of Information and Presidential Affairs.

He said the Commission also gave him videotapes, albums of the tragedy and post-mortem reports of six bodies from the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital to facilitate his investigation. He tendered the items in evidence.

Among the photographs the Witness tendered in evidence, he identified Naami, Faakye Kumi, both Assistant Superintendent of Police and Chief Superintendent Mintah.