Investigator concludes evidence in coce trial

By William Yaw Owusu

Friday May 4, 2007
POLICE Detective Inspector Charles Adaba, the investigator in the case of three policemen standing trial over the missing 76 parcels of cocaine yesterday concluded his evidence before an an Accra Fast Track High Court.

The three,Sergeant David Nyarko and Lance Corporals Dwamena Yabson and Peter Bundorin, have been charged in connection with the missing cocaine brought into the country on April 25, last year, by the MV Benjamin vessel.

Another policeman, Detective Sergeant Samuel Yaw Amoah escaped soon after he was granted bail by an Accra Circuit Court in September last year.

The accused, all with the Tema Regional Police Command, have pleaded not guilt y to two count s of engaging in prohibited business related to narcotic drugs and corruption by a public officer.

They are currently in police custody.

Cross examined by Musah Ahmed, counsel for the three policemen, Insp. Adaba the 10th prosecution witness,told the court that for security reasons, he could not disclose the identity of the person who had tipped the accused persons off.

He denied that the only parcel found on board the vessel was "planted" there by the security agencies, saying "the cocaine was imported into the country by Sheriff Asem Darke and 76 were sarted away by him".

He said fortunately the accused persons got the information and went to the Kpone Beach to effect his arrest but in the process left him off the hook after collscting undisclosed amount of dollars.

The detective told the court that Sheriff brought the money in a polythene sack and it was Sgt Amoah who shared them to the others including the fishermen who got 10,000 dollars as their share.

He said they were yet to impound the white van in which the cocaine was loaded because there was no registration mark on it and also added that the police could not tell the direction in which the van went.

Insp. Adaba further told the court that when he visited the Tema branch of the Driver and Licensing Authority to check on the fugitve's land cruiser,he detected that Sheriff took a loan from an Accra based financial institution in December 2005,and used the car as collateral.

"He carted the cocaine on April 26,2006 and paid the loan on May 4 in th same year" and also added that "the whereabouts of the two boats used to cart the cocaine from the vessel are yet to be established".

The court presided over by Justice Annin Yeboah of the Court of Appeal adjourned proceedings until May 9, for the proscution to bring its next witness.