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A security personnel can prevent a citizen from
travelling - Witness
Accra, Aug. 25, Ghanadot/GNA
– A prosecution witness on Tuesday told an Accra Circuit
Court that security personnel has the power and authority to
prevent Mr. Stephen Asamaoh-Boateng, former Information and
National Orientation Minister from travelling abroad with
his family.
“At that time, no court was in session to enable me secure a
warrant to effect the arrest,” the witness said.
Nana Kwame Osei, security personnel with the Bureau of
National Investigations (BNI) was being cross-examined by
Nene Amegatcher, Counsel for Zuleika Asamoah-Boateng, wife
of Mr. Asamoah-Boateng.
Mrs Asamoah-Boateng has been charged with assaulting a
public officer, allegedly using insulting language on a
public officer and rescuing goods or things from a public
officer.
She pleaded not guilty and was granted GH¢50,000 bail with
sureties.
Nana Osei said: “The Director of BNI did not tell us to
seize the passport of Mr. Asamoah-Boateng but told us to
prevent him from travelling by any means acceptable to him.”
Nene Amegatcher asked: “You thought you have power and
authority to prevent Mr. Asamoah-Boateng from travelling did
you?”
Nana Osei: Yes my Lord.
Counsel: “You also thought you have power and authority to
prevent him from travelling without a court warrant?”
Nana Osei: Yes my Lord; because at 21:40 no court was in
session. I would have gone for a warrant from a court if a
court was sitting at that time.
Nana Osei told the court that Mrs Zuleika Asamoah-Boateng
prevented officials from the BNI from taking her passport
and that of her husband and children since they did not
agreed to the seizure of the travelling documents.
He said Zuleika snatched the passport from his back pocket
while his colleagues were busy checking other passengers.
Nene Amegatcher pinned him down by asking that the decision
to take and seize the passports was your own decision is
that right?
Nana Osei replied; No my Lord, but I was not detaining Mr.
Asamoah-Boateng, if he had agreed initially I would have
handed over the passports to him and his family.
Nene Amegatcher contended that Nana Osei took four passports
from Mr. Asamoah-Boateng but handed over three of them to
him and kept one, which belonged to him (Asamoah-Boateng),
of which no explanation was given and that the Director of
BNI had instructed that Asamoah-Boateng should be prevented
from travelling.
Nana Osei explained that he asked Mr Asamoah-Boateng to
contact Mr. Edward Yaw Donkor, Director of BNI the next day
stressing that the BNI is an intelligent organisation and do
not disclose secrets.
Nene Amegatcher said it was the seizure of the passports
that brought about the disagreements, but Nana Osei
vehemently disagreed and said it was the prevention of the
seizure.
Nene Amegatcher: Now as part of the measure to prevent Mr.
Asamoah-Boateng from travelling, you took his passport and
did not give it to him.
Nana Osei: No my Lord I didn’t refuse to give his passport
back to him.
Nene Amegatcher: Did you voluntarily give his passport to
him when he requested for it?
Nana Osei: No because he wasn’t ready to abort the flight.
Nene Amegatcher: Placing the passport on the back pocket was
a clear indication that you had seized the passport.
Nana Osei: No My Lord, because he had by that time not
heeded to Mr Donkor’s instructions.
He explained that he was not interested in Mrs Zuleika
Asamoah- Boateng’s passport but that of Mr. Asamoah-Boateng.
The case was adjourned to Wednesday, August 26.
GNA |
