Trial Of Abass, Tagor Begins At Fast Track Court

By William Yaw Owusu

Tuesday, 28 November 2006
THE trial began at the Accra Fast Track Court yesterday, of Kwabena Amaning, popularly called Tagor, and Alhaji Issah Abass who are suspected to have knowledge about the disappearance of the 77 parcels of cocaine from the MV Benjamin Vessel at the Tema Port.

The two men, together with Kwabena Acheampong and Victor Kisseh, also called Yaw Billah, had earlier on November 23, been discharged by an Accra Circuit Court after the Attorney-Generals (AG) filed a “Nolle Prosequi” indicating its unwillingness to pursue the case, but Tagor and Abass were re-arrested on the orders of the AG and charged at the Fast Track Court with fresh charges.


Acheampong was brought to the court yesterday together with Tagor and Abass, as well as Alhaji Moro Mohammed but Acheampong and Moro left at 11:03 am before the court began sitting.


Full trial commenced at exactly 12:35 noon. Tagor is charged with four counts of conspiracy, engaging in prohibited business relating to narcotic drugs, buying of narcotic drugs and supply of narcotic drugs, while Abass faces three counts of conspiracy, engaging in prohibited business relating to narcotic drugs and supply of narcotic drugs.


They were remanded into police custody until December 5, by the court presided over by Mr Justice Jones Dotse who is also a Court of Appeal judge.


They were remanded in police custody to enable the two men, particularly Tagor who coughed throughout the proceedings, to receive proper medical attention.


Before their remand, Nana Asante Bediatuo and Mr Osafo Buabeng, counsel for Tagor and Abass respectively, had applied for bail for them but this was refused by the court.


The facts as presented by Ms Gertrude Aikins, Chief State Attorney, are that on April 26, the MV Benjamin vessel, also called Aded 2, anchored at the Tema Harbour where 76 out of 77 parcels of cocaine were offloaded into two canoes which carried them to the Kpone Beach, near Tema


“The news of the arrival of the cocaine spread like wild fire in the underworld and the security agencies started investigating the matter,” she said.


Ms Aikins told the court that the then Assistant Commissioner of Police in charge of Operations, Mr Kofi Boakye, invited the accused persons to his residence at Kanda, Accra, in connection with the missing parcels.


At the said meeting, the accused voluntarily confessed to their dealings in narcotic drugs and even boasted about previous activities relating to narcotic drugs and further settled old scores and disputes.


In the process, they openly confessed that they had purchased, supplied, paid for, certified, credited and distributed drugs in and outside the country.


The confessions, Ms Aikins told the court, were recorded.


The accused at the said meeting also agreed to locate the 76 parcels of cocaine, seize and share it in furtherance of their business of dealing, promoting and establishing narcotic drugs because the quantity brought by the MV Benjamin was too much for one person to enjoy it alone.