I gave clue to hidden cocaine-Abass

By William Yaw Owusu

Friday, July 20, 2007
ALHAJI Issah Abass, one of the two men standing trial for narcotic offences yesterday told an Accra Fast Track High Court that he gave the security agents the clue as to where to search for the cocaine on the MV Benjamin vessel.

“A Narcotics Control Board (NACOB) officer called Ben Ndego called me when the search team arrested the vessel and told me that they have searched the whole place without finding anything but he strongly believes the M.V. Benjamin brought cocaine.

“I told him to ask his men to search secrete compartments of the vessel since I also own vessels and within an hour, M4 Ndego called back to thank me and to say that they got one parcel from the hatch,” he said.

Abass was opening his defence in the case in which he and Kwabena Amaning, popularly called Tagor, have been charged with having knowledge about the missing 76 parcels of cocaine from 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 loss of 77 parcels of cocaine from the M.V. Benjamin vessel at Tema port, and another quantity of the substance seized. From a house at East Legon in Accra in November 2005.

The 77 parcels of cocaine were brought into the country on April 26, last years, but 76 were taken off at the break waters of the Tema port before the security agencies could intercept them.

Tagor is facing four counts of conspiracy, engaging in prohibited business related to 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 and are in prison custody.

Led in evidence by Mohammed Attah, his counsel, Abass also told the court that Mr Nedgo, currently on interdiction, asked him to record a conversation between ACP Kofi Boakye, then Director of Police Operations, and four of them at Boakye’s residence.

Mr Ndego told him that NACOB had put ACP Boakye was under surveillance because the board suspected that the senior police officer went to the Kpone beach with his men to cart the cocaine away.

He told the packed court that he used to visit ACP Boakye at the Police Headquarters in Accra and on one occasion, discussed rumours that ACP Boakye and his policemen had stolen the cocaine.

“When I left ACP Boakye’s office, I quickly called Mr Ndego and told him that from the officer’s demeanour, he must know something about the missing cocaine,” he said

Abass further told the court that he was in ACP Boakye’s office when the police officer called his bodyguard, Ahoto, to search for and arrest Tagor from his house at East Legon because he (ACP Boakye) said he had heard that Tagor and his men had hidden the cocaine.

“I deliberately delayed for Tagor to meet me at ACP Boakye’s office and when I told Mr Ndego about this, he asked me who Tagpr was”.

Abass claimed that Tagor met Ahoto at ‘On the Run,’ Legon, at 7pm where Ahoto asked Tagor to co-operate with his boss ACP Boakye.

“I told Tagor not to be scared because ACP Boakye was under surveillance.’

Abass told the court that it was Mr Ndego who sent his driver to meet him at the Cantonments Post Office with the recorder, saying “it was a dark brown Sony recorder.”

“When I got to ACP Boakye’s home, the other participants were already seated, and before moving from my car, I switched on the recorder. I then called Mr Ndego who told me he had his men around,” Abass said.

He tendered in evidence his business certificates and told the court that he supplied the police with vehicles, motor bikes ands tyres and said the police still owed him.

The court, presided by Justice Jones Dotse of the Court of Appeal, adjourned proceedings until July 24 for Abass to continue with his cross-examination.

Before Abass took his turn, his co-accused, Tagor had completed his cross-examination by prosecution led by Ms Getrude Aikins, Acting Director of Public Prosecution.

The prosecution then tendered, through Tagor, documents covering his property which included eight houses in Accra, four of which are under construction a Hammer car and a Dodge Ram pickup.

The defence team led by Mr Ellis Owuso Fordjour, has objected to the tendering of the documents but the court overruled it, saying the prosecution was able to lay proper foundation before the documents were asked to be tendered.

Tagor told the court that he would not be surprised if Abass had told the Justice Georginas Wood Committee that he (Abass) only got to know about the recording when ACP Boakye told him about it.

He added that he felt relaxed at the committee because he did not know that the new Chief Justice was so powerful.

Tagoe further said that at the meeting they mentioned many names and denied that he mentioned Owusu as having come from a Palace in Kumasi to meet him in Accra.

When he was asked to explain the jargon such as “good”, “business” among others on the tape, Tagor said “ they mean nothing “ but later said the word “goods” referred to drugs