Cocaine case continues

I didn't play tape to the hearing of Tagor- Investigator

Accra, April 5, GNA - Detective Inspector Charles Adaba, an investigator on Thursday admitted that he did not play the controversial ACP Kofi Boakye's secret tape to the hearing of Kwabena Amaning aka Tagor.

Detective Adaba further admitted that he did not give Amaning the opportunity to deny or confirm his voice on the tape. Answering questions under cross-examination by Mr Ellis Owusu Fordjour, counsel for Amaning, Inspector Adaba agreed with counsel that portions of the tape were not audible.

Kwabena Amaning alias Tagor and Alhaji Issah Abass, 53, are alleged self-confessed drug barons, and are jointly charged for conspiracy. Tagor has additionally been charged for carrying out prohibited business relating to narcotic drugs, buying and supplying of narcotic drugs while Abass is also being held for carrying out prohibited business relating to narcotic drugs and supplying narcotic drugs. They have pleaded not guilty.

The court, presided over by Mr Justice J. Dotse has remanded them in prison custody.

When Detective Inspector Adaba, the seventh Prosecution witness was asked whether he knew the voices on the tape, he said, "that was why sent them to the expert to determine the voices on the tape."

Defence Counsel (DC): "Do you realise that there were four voices on the tape?

Detective Inspector (DI) "Yes My Lord."

DC: Where did you record the voices of the accused persons for your investigations?

DI: At a Common room of the Sekondi Prisons. This was after we had sought permission from the Prison Authorities.

DC: You subjected Amaning to thorough interrogations?

DI: "I did not."

DC: "At that time he had been charged and put before court?"

DI: "Yes My Lord."

DC: "When did you record the voices of the accused persons?"

DI: "On November 26, 2006."

Witness who admitted ACP Kofi Boakye convened the meeting on May 15, 2006, stated that the purpose was to clear he (ACP Boakye's) name. He denied that he was wrong in telling the court that the accused persons had stated at the said meeting that they were going to look for owners of the missing 76 parcels of cocaine.

DI Adaba further denied that all that he said were conjunctures. On the secret ACP Boakye tape, DI Adaba maintained that participants of the meeting mentioned the name Mama Tess.

This, Counsel suggested to DI Adaba that, "Mama Tess" was in town and had not absconded.

"I am now being told that Mama Tess is in town. We will look for her," DI Adaba said.

The Investigator admitted that before a substance could be named "Cocaine" a scientific analysis had to be conducted. Due to the excessive heat in the courtroom, the court adjourned the case till April 18 and advised the media to desist from passing prejudicial comments on the pending case.

The case of the Prosecution is that the accused are self-confessed drug barons, who since 2004 have been actively engaged in activities of promoting and establishing various enterprises relating to narcotic drugs.

In the process, the accused persons purchased, supplied, paid and credited the drugs, which they further distributed outside and within the country.

The Prosecution said on April 26, 2006, MV Benjamin anchored in the Tema breakwaters with 77 parcels of cocaine. However, 76 parcels were offloaded into two canoes, which landed at the Kpone beach in the Greater Accra Region.

The Prosecution said the news of the 76 parcels got to people of the underworld and even the security agencies also had wind of it. Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Kofi Boakye invited them to a meeting in his house at Kanda in relation to the missing cocaine. At that meeting, the accused persons voluntarily confessed to their dealings in narcotic business and even boasted openly of previous activities.

The accused in the process also confessed openly that they had purchased drugs, supplied, credited and distributed drugs outside. The accused at ACP Kofi Boakye's house also agreed to locate the 76 parcels of cocaine seized and share it in furtherance of their business because the quantity of cocaine brought in by the MV Benjamin was too much for one person to enjoy.

The Government set up the Georgina Wood Committee to investigate some cocaine-related cases including the MV Benjamin case and alleged bribery of Senior Police Officers in a 588 kilos of drugs seized from some Venezuelans at East Legon in Accra. 05 April 07