By William Yaw Owusu
Saturday May 5, 2007
THE investigator in the case involving the loss of 76 parcels of cocaine from the MV Benjamin vessel, says Alhaji Issah, one of the two suspects on trial, declined to assist in the retrieval of the only parcel found on board the vessel by the Narcotics Control Board (NACOB).
Police Detective Inspector Charles Adaba, the investigator, yesterday told the Accra Fast Track High Court trying the case that Abass was heard on the tape, which was secretly recorded by an unknown person in ACP Kofi Boakye’s residence, saying that it was one Alhaji Addah and someone else called Paa, who went to him to seek his assistance to retrieve the parcel.
“I told Paa and Alhaji Addah that if those who came to arrest the vessel had been the police, we could have talked to them but as for the narcotics people from the Ministries, it is difficult to talk to them,” Inspector Adaba quoted Abass as saying on the tape.
Inspector Adaba, the seventh prosecution witness, was concluding his evidence in the case involving Kwabena Amaning also known as Tagor and Alhaji Abass in the loss of the parcels of cocaine from the Tema Port in April last year.
Tagor is facing four counts of conspiracy, engaging in prohibited business related to narcotic drugs, buying of narcotic drugs and supply of narcotic drugs while Abass is charged with three counts of conspiracy, engaging in prohibited business related to narcotic drugs and supply of narcotic drug.
The two have pleaded not guilty to all the charges and are in prison custody.
Tagor and Abass were among 14 people recommended for prosecution by the Justice Georgina Wood Committee set up by the Ministry of the Interior to investigate the missing 76 parcels of cocaine and another quantity of cocaine seized from a house in East Legon in Accra in November 2005.
An alleged meeting at the residence of ACP Boakye, the then Director of Police Operations, with four people including Tagor and Abass, formed the basis for the setting of the committee by the Ministry.
Cross-examined by Osafo Buaben, counsel for Abass, the investigator told the court that names such as Joe Brosby, Ben, Alhaji Addah Owusu, Otumfuo among others, were mentioned on the secret recordings but he did not extend his investigations to those people because the investigator who started the case had already done that.
He said his efforts at getting to Alhaji Addah, Paa and Brosby proved fu tile because “they are on the run.”
He said he did not check from the bank where Abass’ account was frozen but contacted the Serious Fraud Office (SFO) which froze it saying, “I am aware that the SFO tried to obtain a confirmation order from a High Court to freeze the accused’s account.”
Inspector Adaba said when he visited the Tema Harbour, the vessel had been towed away, from the breakwaters to the fishing harbour and also added that the vessel at a point caught fire.
The investigator further said: “I do not know whether Abass was into fishing or whether he owned a vessel called M.V. Omega and I am also not aware if he supplied the Police Service or any government agency with motor-bikes and tyres.”
Detective Insp. Adaba said at all material times, t he word “goods” used on the recorded conversation was cocaine and the tape recordings had also not been edited as far as he was concerned.
When Asare Otchere-Darko, additional counsel for Tagor, took his turn, Inspector Adaba told the court that Alhaji Addah owned a forex bureau at Dansoman but could not tell the court the exact location at Dansoman it is situated.
He also told the court that he did not receive any gift of gold watch from Prince Tibu-Darko and added: “I have not tried to extort money from Tagor.”
At this point, Ms Gertrude Aikins, acting Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), objected to the line of counsel’s cross examination saying: “If you attacked the integrity of the witness, he will do the same thing to your client. This is because what you are doing has no relevance to the substantive matter.”
The court, presided over by Justice Jones Dotse of the Court of Appeal, then adjourned proceedings until May 9.
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