Smith wrote the letter - Police Forensic Report

Police Forensic report has identified Mr. Victor Smith, aide of former president Rawlings as the author of the alleged draft letter threatening certain Journalists.

Detective Inspector Boakye Yiadom, answering questions during cross-examination by defence counsel, Dr Ben Kumbour, said he also added a specimen of Smith's Police statement to the laboratory as required by law.

Mr. Smith is standing trial for threatening two Journalists with death.

Inspector Yiadom said he did not inform the accused when his statement and the alleged drafted letter were being sent to the laboratory. Dr Kumbour: "Where is the original copy of the alleged drafted letter?"

Inspector Yiadom: "What was given to me was what I have tendered." Defence: "I put it to you that the original letter was not in court because it contradicts with Prosecution's case?" Inspector Yiadom: "No my Lord."

The investigator disagreed with Counsel that the original copy of the letter could not meet the grounds of a criminal charge.

Dr Kumbour: "Did the alleged letter state that Mr. Kwaku Baako, Editor of the Crusading Guide and Mrs. Margaret Amoakohene, a Lecturer at the School of Communications Studies, Legon, would be murdered if they did not stop harassing the Ex-President?"

Inspector Yiadom: "The last part states that they would not sit down to allow the Ex-President to be attacked but there were no portion that stated that the two would be murdered."

Dr Kumbour:" Did Mr. Baako and Mrs. Amoakohene inform you that if they did not respond to the threatening letter something would be done to them? Inspector Yiadom replied: "Yes" Dr Kumbour asked, "What did they say would happen to them? Inspector Yaidom: "Cars would be hired to crash or assassinate the two."

When asked how he took statements of prosecuting witnesses, the investigator said he took Mr. Baako's statement after which he (Mr. Baako) gave Abrampah Kwesi, Acting President of the Action Forum, as his witness who in turn mentioned other witnesses.

Asked whether the alleged letter mentioned the name of the Action Forum or Mr. Mensah, Inspector Yiadom replied that none were mentioned. Dr Kumbour: "Is it true that you cautioned Smith on the charges of conspiracy, threat of harm and death?

The investigator: "That was at the initial stages of my investigation but I later charged him with 'threat of death' after I had completed my investigations."

Inspector Yiadom denied that one Francis Poku, National Security Co-ordinator, planted Mr. Mensah in the case. The investigator explained that it was after he had taken Mr. Baako's statement that Mr. Mensah's name came up.

He also denied that during his investigations, one Opoku Acheampong of the Bureau of National Investigations (BNI) was detailed to give two million cedis to Mr. Mensah every month but instead he gave him 300,000 cedis. The Detective said he was not aware that any monies were given to Mr. Mensah and that Acheampong was dismissed from the BNI.

The Detective denied that he was directed by the offices of the BNI to charge the accused explaining that it was after his own investigations that he charged the accused person.

Earlier, the court was told that on March 18, Smith and Mensah wrote a correspondence to be handed over to the Editor of the "Crusading Guide" and Mrs. Amoakohene, that they would not sit down unconcerned over their criticisms of Ex-President Rawlings.

He said the accused also warned that if the two failed to stop their criticisms after receiving the letters, members of the Action Forum would be given pickup vehicles to track them down and crash them. Smith, who had pleaded not guilty to threat of death, is on a 50 million-cedi bail. Sitting continues on September 20.

The Letter

2. Mrs Margaret Amoakohene, Lecturer at GV, Legon

Subject: Warning to desist from perpetual attacks on the person of former president Jerry Rawlings on national media networks, (particularly GBC Breakfast Show and JOY FM programmes) We wish to remind you, in case you have forgotten, that in 1996, President Rawlings bagged 57.6 % of the votes cast in the election, which should in this country.

President Rawlings still commands a large support of the Ghanaian electorate. We will not stand idle for you to continue to hurt our feelings by such senseless personal attacks any longer. Be Warned.