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Court to decide on recorded voices
Accra, March 22, GNA The Accra Fast Track High Court
trying alleged self-confessed drug barons in connection with
the disappearance of 77 parcels of cocaine on board MV
Benjamin, would next week decide whether to admit into
evidence the recorded voices of the suspects.
The recording of the two - Kwabena Amaning aka Tagor and
Alhaji Issa Abass - took place at Ankaful and Sekondi
Prisons on November 1 2006 and November 2, 2006,
respectively.
The recordings were done without the knowledge of the
accused for fear of they changing their voices, and this
became the bone of contention as Defence Counsel raised
objections saying; "it is a violation to their privacy".
Nana Asante Bediatu, counsel for Tagor, said the recording
that was "manufactured without their knowledge by the
Prosecution Witness poses a substantial danger to their
lives, adding; it was a breach of their privacy".
Mr Sarfo Buabeng, counsel for Alhaji Abass, said the
Prosecution should have sought the consent of the accused
persons saying the recording of the voices "violates the
provisions of the law, adding it should have been done in
accordance with the law".
But the Acting Director of Public Prosecutions, Ms Gertrude
Aikins replied: "We just wanted a voice search as to who
said what on the tape. The content of the recording is not
important but just for voice identification.
She said separate voice recordings of all the participants
in the conversation at the residence of ACP Kofi Boakye were
made to compare what was on the tape, adding: "We wanted
their natural voices."
Mrs Aikins argued that it was relevant in this particular
case, saying individual rights could not stand in the face
of drugs.
Continuing with his evidence-in-chief Detective Inspector
Charles Adaba said during the investigations on the
controversial ACP Kofi Boakye's tape some terminologies used
for the transactions of the cocaine business came up.
Detective Inspector Adaba said some of the terminologies
were in the Akan language. For example, "safoa" meaning
"key" was used to refer to one kilogramme of cocaine and "nnsafoa"
(keys) to indicate many kilograms.
He said the real name as cocaine was never mentioned in
their conversation on the said tape but it was referred to
as "goods".
Detective Inspector Adaba said none of the dealers trusted
each other so they normally arranged with people on short
notice or used their drivers.
Detective Adaba said one Mama Tess was mentioned as dealing
in narcotics and that she supplied the goods. He said he
followed this up to her workplace at Platinum Furniture on
Spintax Road but was told that she had travelled and had
since not returned.
He said in listening to some of the statements recorded in
the house of ACP Kofi Boakye, the second accused person,
Abass was once arrested by the BNI when he withdrew an
amount of 485,000 dollars from the Ministries Branch of
SG-SSB Bank.
He said it also came up that Abass mentioned one Sheriff aka
the "limping man" as hiring a boat, MV Benjamin, to carry
the goods away.
Detective Inspector Adaba said the investigations took him
to Tema Fishing Harbour where the vessel, MV Benjamin, was
on fire and found out that it belonged to Joseph Kojo
Dawson, Director of Dashment Fishing Company.
Detective Inspector Adaba said the investigations also took
him to Europe to study the work being done on the tape and
to answer questions if possible.
He said he met Professor J. P. French, a British expert on
voice, who requested for an Akan linguistics expert to help
since some of the statements were made in Akan. He sought
one from the Linguistics Department of the University of
Ghana.
Detective Inspector Adaba pointed out that during the
investigations he visited the house of ACP Kofi Boakye to
see the sitting arrangement at the meeting and stated that
ACP Kofi Boakye sat in front of them outside under a neem
tree.
The CD was "dropped" by an anonymous person when the
Georgina Wood Committee set up by the Ministry of the
Interior to investigate some drug-related cases requested
the public to assist it to unravel the mysteries behind the
disappearance of 77 parcels of cocaine on board MV Benjamin.
The voices on the CD are believed to be those of Kwabena
Amaning aka Tagor and Alhaji Abass; Assistant Commissioner
of Police (ACP) Kofi Boakye; Kwabena Acheampong and Alhaji
Imoro.
Tagor and Alhaji Abass, who are alleged self-confessed drug
barons, are jointly charged for conspiracy.
Tagor has additionally been charged for carrying out
prohibited business relating to narcotic drugs; buying and
supplying of narcotic drugs, while Abass is being held for
carrying out prohibited business relating to narcotic drugs
and supplying narcotic drugs.
They have pleaded not guilty and the Court, presided over by
Mr Justice Jones Dotse has remanded them in prison custody
to reappear on March 28.
GNA
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