By William Yaw Owusu
Tuesday, 26 September 2006
THE five policemen standing trial for their involvement in disappearance of 77 parcels of cocaine from the MV Benjamin Vessel at the Tema Port, were yesterday granted ¢300 million bail each with one surety by a Circuit Court in Accra under an amended charge of extortion.
They are Detective Sergeant Samuel Yaw Amoah, General Sergeant David Nyarko, Detective Lance Corporal Dwamena Yabson, General Lance Corporal Peter Bundirn and General Sergeant Isaac Asante all of the Tema Regional Police Command.
The prosecution did not oppose the application for bail.
The accused persons who were originally being tried in two separate groups, for abetment, now have their dockets merged under a charge of extortion.
They pleaded no guilty and the court presided over by Mr. Justice Frank Manu, the Regional Tribunal Chairman, adjourned further hearing to November 2.
Amoah, Nyarko and Yabson were the first to appear before the court on September 12 and were followed by Bundorin and Asante on September, 18.
Chief State Attorney Bab Beyou, prosecuting told the court that the five policemen who are based at the Tema New Town, Community One and Kpone Police stations on April 26, had information that Sheriff, now at large, was taking delivery of parcels of cocaine at the Kpone Beach, near Tema.
"They mobilized themselves to effect his arrest but on the contrary they went, saw the substance alright and decided to ‘close’ their eyes.
"They even had a ride with Sheriff in his vehicle to his residence and allowed him to go with the "goods," Mr. Beyou said.
In asking for bail for Amoah, Nyarko and Asante, Mr. Musah Ahmed, their counsel, told the court that the police could not disclose how much sheriff purportedly gave to his clients.
James Enu who represented Yabson, said his client had been diagnosed of a heart ailment and needed time to treat himself, while Benard Ahiafor, counsel for Bundorin said section 239 of the Criminal Code empowers the court to grant self-cognisance bail to the accused as far as the charge preferred against them was concerned.
Mr. Beyou said: "We will not resist the application for bail, but they have to prove their worth."
No comments:
Post a Comment