Accused Took Bribe And Freed Sheriff

By William Yaw Owusu

Thursday, 14 December 2006
A prosecution witness in the ongoing cocaine trial of three policemen yesterday alleged at an Accra Fast Track High Court that Asem Darke, also known as Sheriff, the police’s most wanted man in the case, was initially arrested but let off the hook after offering a bribe.

The three policemen together with another, now at large, were said to have taken an undisclosed amount and released Sheriff and another person who was arrested with him.

Lance Corporal Dickson Atunah of the Tema Regional Police Command said this when he gave evidence as the fourth prosecution witness in the trial.

The three, Sergeant David Nyarko, Lance Corporals Dwamena Yabson and Peter Bundorin, all with the Tema Regional Command have pleaded not guilty to two counts of engaging in prohibited business relating to narcotic drugs and corruption by a public officer and are on remand.

Two other persons, Kennedy Dzakeh who is not yet charged and Detective Sergeant Samuel Yaw Amoah, now on the run, were originally arrested with the accused in connection with the case.

A sixth person arrested with them, Sergeant Isaac Asante, has been made a prosecution witness in the case.

Led in evidence by Emmanuel Agyemang Duodu, a Principal State Attorney, Atunah who was subpoenaed to testify, told the court that sometime in April, he got information that some policemen had intercepted a vessel with cocaine at the Kpone beach near Tema.

"I later on learnt that it was Nyarko, Yabson, Bundorin and Amoah who had gone to Kpone to arrest the suspects but collected money and left them," he told the court, presided over by Appeal Court judge, Justice Annin Yeboah.

He said: "I then confronted Yabson who is my colleague in the same barracks and office and he told me that they went to Kpone but when they got there the suspects had already offloaded the cocaine."

He said Yabson also told him that they met Sheriff and a white man at the beach and wanted to bring them to the office for interrogation but Sheriff and the white man pleaded with them and gave them an undisclosed amount.

"Some few months later after this incident Amoah bought a BMW saloon car while Yabson and Nyarko each bought an Opel Astra which they used as taxis," witness told the crowded court.

Atunah said, later in August he was arrested together with the accused persons, adding that even though he was not charged or taken to court, he was "peeved" for his wrongful arrest.

Cross examined by Musah Ahmed, counsel for Nyarko and Bundorin on one hand and Dei Kwarteng, counsel for Yabson on the other, Atunah said "I trust Yabson. I believed him that is why I confronted him to know the truth."

He said he did not confront Nyarko and Bundorin because they were not in the same station with him and also he did not know Sheriff.

Atunah further told the court that he did not know the whereabouts of Amoah but added "I know him personally since he is in the same barracks with me. I read about his escape in the newspapers."

Witness rejected suggestion by counsel that Yabson did not come into contact with Sheriff.

Further hearing was adjourned to January 15, 2007.