DEADLY CATRIDGES FOUND IN HALEEM'S ROOM

By William Yaw Owusu

Tuesday, 10 July 2007
A Police forensic expert has described as deadly, blank cartridges the police found at the residence of Haleem Banda, son of the business magnate Asuma Banda.

Haleem Banda is standing trial at the Fast Track High Court in Accra for threat of death.

The Forensic expert, Deputy Superintendent Raymond Simpi told the court: "I worked on exhibits forwarded to the laboratory and the blank cartridges among them are deadly. They can kill or make people go blind when fired."

The police officer, the sixth prosecution witness, was testifying in Haleem’s trial for threatening to kill Kofi Otchere-Darko, popularly called K.O.D., a radio presenter and his friend Emmanuel Kiki Banson at an Accra night club.

Haleem, who has pleaded not guilty to four counts of threat of death and possession of arms and ammunition without lawful authority, is in police custody.

Led in evidence by Ms Barbara Sackey, a State Attorney, DSP Simpi told the court that he received the exhibits for analysis on July 5 and was asked to determine the type of weapon which discharged the cartridge and the weapon in which the holster which was also found in the house is capable of housing.

He said he conducted a test on the nine millimetre empty cartridge allegedly fired by the accused person at the night club but the police did not give him the gun from which it was fired.

At this point, Mr Agbesi Dzakpasu, counsel for Haleem, asked the court for an adjournment to enable him to crosscheck the forensic report with an independent witness.

Another policeman, Detective Constable Obed Samah, of the Violent Crime Unit at the Police Headquarters, told the court that he was part of the team that searched Haleem’s residence at Tesano in Accra.

"We found nine blank ammunitions, four live cartridges, a pistol and a holster in his hall, together with an expired registration receipt of a pump action gun."

He said when Haleem was questioned about the whereabouts of the gun, he said his girlfriend, Alice, had come for it but he could not lead the police to get the gun from Alice.

Cross-examined by Mr Dzakpasu, the witness said he did not know if Alice brought the gun to the police.

Earlier in his testimony the fourth prosecution witness, Kiki Banson, told the court that he was threatened with death by Haleem without any provocation.

He said Haleem was a customer at his former night club, Cinderella and had known him for sometime. He was with his friend Kofi Otchere-Darko, on June 10, when the incident happened.

Haleem insulted him continuously amid threats of death, witness said and added that, when they stepped outside and were about to leave the premises, Haleem who had followed them hit Mr Otchere-Darko.

"I saw him remove a gun and fired three times, prompting me to call the police," he told the court.

He said under cross-examination that there were about 100 people in the night club which was noisy but "I heard him say I will kill you."

The court presided over by Justice B.T. Aryeetey of the Court of Appeal adjourned proceeding until July 12.

es In Haleem's Room