Limping Man Trial On Long Break

The trial of Christian Sheriff Asem Dake at an Accra Fast Track High Court in connection with the importation of the 77 cocaine parcels has taken a long break. This was due to the impending legal year which would soon begin in August.

Justice Habib Logoh, the trial judge, was not in the jurisdiction when the case was called, as he was said to have travelled for a conference.

He has consequently had the case adjourned to October 8, 2012.

Detective Inspector Charles Adaba, the investigator in the case, testified at the court during the last hearing.

He told the court that he was given the case docket on the missing parcels by his superiors in 2006, after another officer initially began investigations.

The police officer said these in his evidence in-chief led by Yvonne Obuobisa.

He said his investigations revealed that only one parcel was found in the MV Benjamin Vessel.

The investigator further noted that the ship went for the parcels from a vessel on high seas in Guinea and brought them to Tema/Kpone where the parcels were offloaded by some fishermen.

According to his investigations, the owner proved to be the accused person, popularly known as the Limping Man, with a Toyota Land Cruiser registered, GT 21 W. He said he took a picture of the vehicle.

The investigator said it was later discovered that the vehicle was registered in the name of the accused person’s brother, Evans Charwetey, adding that, it was later transferred into the name of Unique Trust Financial Services.

He said, there were three transfers on the vehicle ownership and the final one was made by the accused person into the ownership of Unique Trust, for a loan of GH¢25,000.

He added that the loan was taken on May 4, 2006.

The witness stated that, Asem was the boss of Atiko Fishing Company and tendered a copy of the certificate of incorporation and a certificate to commence business to the court in evidence.

Under cross examination by George Heward-Mills, counsel for Limping Man, the witness said the missing cocaine was taken to a destination he could not identify.

He also admitted that he did not see the missing parcels of cocaine, except the remaining one. John Kwabena Dawson, father of Kojo Dawson, the owner of the MV Benjamin Vessel, which was used in importing the 77 missing parcels of cocaine from Guinea, openly testified at the trial.

He told the court that Sheriff chartered the vessel for sixty days at the cost of $150,000 and tendered documents on the charter agreement to the court as evidence.

The witness, who said these in his evidence in-chief, also said there was a sales agreement between them for the sale of the vessel after the charter at $250,000, and noted that, this was done through a lawyer called Lumor.

Mr. Dawson, the former boss of Dashment Company, the company which chartered the vessel to Sheriff, also noted that, Sheriff did not pay the money directly to them because of a high purchase agreement between them and one Mr. Bier, the original owner.

During cross-examination by George Heward-Mills, the witness said he had been the boss of Dashment Company for 14 years.

Heward-Mills asked the witness whether the vessel was handed over to Asem Dake to which he said, his son handed it over to the accused person.

A driver of the accused testified against him. A male convict, currently serving time at Nsawam, and some fishermen at Kpone, have testified against Dake.

The accused person has pleaded not guilty to conspiracy to commit crime, importation of narcotic drugs without lawful authority, possession of narcotic drugs without license, dealing in prohibited business and corruption of public officer.