State Closes Case In Coke Trial

By William Yaw Owusu

Thursday, 31 May 2007
The prosecution in the case involving Kwabena Amaning, also known as Tagor, and Alhaji Issah Abass, charged with having knowledge about the missing 76 parcels of cocaine, from MV Benjamin vessel yesterday closed its case at the Fast Track High Court.

Seventy-seven parcels of cocaine were brought into the country in the vessel on April 26, last year, but 76 of the parcels got missing at the Tema Port before security agencies intercepted the vessel.

Tagor and Abass were among 14 people recommended for prosecution by the Justice Georgina Wood Committee set up by the Ministry of the Interior last year to investigate the circumstances surrounding the disappearance of the 76 parcels of cocaine and another quantity of cocaine seized from a house in East Legon in Accra in November 2005.

Before the committee commenced sitting, a meeting allegedly held at the residence of ACP Boakye, the then officer in-charge of Police Operations with four people, including Tagor and Abass was said to have been recorded and that formed the basis for the establishment of the committee by the Ministry.

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 drugs.

The two have pleaded not guilty to all the charges and are in prison custody.

When the case was called, Edward Agyemang Duodu, a Principal State Attorney, prosecuting, said: "At the last adjourned date, we promised to bring one or two witnesses but we no longer wish to do so. We rather wish to close our case."

At this point, Mr. Ellis Owusu-Fordjuor, a defence counsel, said: "In that case, we will need an adjournment for us to decide our next line of action."

The court, presided over by Justice Jones Dotse of the Court of Appeal, consequently adjourned proceedings until June 6.

The prosecution has during the trial, called 13 witnesses including voice experts who worked on the secret tape recording.

Tagor and Abass were arrested together with three others soon after testifying before the Georgina Wood Committee on August 2, last year while full trial commenced on November 27, last year.