An Accra High Court has ruled that two Hyundai Galloper cross-country vehicles used by the "Mills for President" campaign team for the 2000 elections which have been impounded by the police should be released to Mr Antwi Gyamfi Director of LANATOP construction.

Justice John Kingsley Ebiassa upheld an ex-parte motion filed by Mr Gyamfi seeking relief from the court for the release of the vehicles which the police believe belong to the state. However, Mr Gideon Aryeetey, Judicial Secretary said the ruling is "a default judgement which can be set aside".

He told the Ghana News Agency: "Since the defendants have not been served for assessment of damages the case can be heard again on its own merits." A source at the Criminal Investigations Department {CID} of the Police told the GNA that the department had begun investigating the ownership of the vehicles registered in the name of Africa Automobile Limited {AAL} but believed to belong to the state.

The police said the cars were found in a house at North Kaneshie and Osu upon a tip-off.

At North Kaneshie, Nana Brofo-hene, alias Nana Frimpong Danso of Dorma-Ahenkro, told the police that Mr. Antwi Gyamfi, 58, Director of LANATOP Construction, gave one of the cars to him in November 2000 to use to campaign for the former Vice-President, Professor John Evans Atta Mills. When the police went to Mr Gyamfi's residence at Osu, they found the other vehicle.

Mr Gyamfi told the police that he was the National Organiser of the "Mills for President" campaign team and got the vehicles following appeals he made to his cousins and well wishers in the United Kingdom.

Police investigations showed that although AAL handed over the cars to Mr Gyamfi, the company has no documents on the transaction. Mr Gyamfi said he was only informed by AAL to come for the cars and he went to collect them.

The cars were registered GW 325 W and GR 8781 R on April 25 and June 26, 2000 respectively, in the name of AAL. The source said checks by the International Police Organization {INTERPOL} from the principals of AAL in London indicated that no such transactions had taken place there. It said Mr Gyamfi has failed so far to prove his ownership.