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Tagor tells court: Alhaji Abbas
recorded Kofi Boakye tape
Accra, July 17, Ghanadot/GNA - Kwabena Amaning, aka Tagor,
on Tuesday told an Accra Fast Track High Court that Alhaji
Issah Abbas, with whom he is standing trial for narcotic
offences, was the one who recorded the controversial Kofi
Boakye tape.
This revelation partly answers questions over, who recorded
the conversation and subsequently who dropped the said tape
at the Georgina Wood Committee that investigated the
disappearance of 76 parcels of cocaine on board the MV
Benjamin.
He said Abbas told him that he was asked by the Narcotics
Control Board (NACOB) to do the recording because they
believed Assistant Commissioner of Police Kofi Boakye had a
questionable character and they wanted to trap him.
Tagor, who was opening his defence, said he was shown the
tape recorder by Abbas who told him that they were going to
compel ACP Kofi Boakye to talk.
Led by his counsel, Mr Ellis Owusu-Fordjour, he said Abbas
told him the action was a bait to get at ACP Kofi Boakye.
Tagor and Alhaji Abass, alleged self-confessed drug barons,
are being tried for drug-related offences.
Abass, 53, and Kwabena Amaning, alias Tagor, 34, 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 also being held
for carrying out prohibited business relating to narcotic
drugs and supplying narcotic drugs.
They have pleaded not guilty and the court has remanded them
in prison custody.
Tagor told the court, presided over by Mr Justice Jones
Dotse, an Appeals Court Judge, that Abbas coached him about
what to say at the meeting.
He mentioned Abbas, Moro and one Ahoto, a bodyguard of ACP
Kofi Boakye, Kwabena Acheampong as among those who were
present at the meeting.
Tagor denied that he and Abbas promised to trace the 76
parcels of cocaine that went missing on board the MV
Benjamin.
He said it was rather ACP Kofi Boakye who instructed them to
put their ears to the ground to find out who had collected
the cocaine.
He added that all that he said at the meeting was bait for
ACP Kofi Boakye to talk.
The accused said after the meeting, Abass rang him saying
that before delivering the tape he (Abass) had listened to
the tape but found that ACP Kofi Boakye "seemed not to know
anything".
Tagor also denied doing business in narcotics saying he
never credited 100 kilograms of cocaine to anybody and
collected payment in Holland.
He further denied ever buying a house from one Chris Asher
for his late driver, Kofi Asare.
According to Tagor, Asare had never travelled to nor stayed
in the United States of America.
When asked why he did not tell the Georgina Wood Committee
of the tape, Tagor said he thought officials of NACOB would
come to their aid but they did not.
He said though he had never supplied drugs to any Mama Tess,
he knew a lot of people with that name.
Tagor denied knowing anything about some Columbians who were
believed to be connected to another importation of drugs.
Answering questions under cross-examination by the
Prosecution, Tagor admitted that during his secondary
education until now, he had borne the names Ernest Kwabena
Osei, Kwabena Amaning and Kwabena Amaning Kwarteng.
He, however, attributed the changes in names to family
issues.
Tagor, who had stayed in the US after completing his
secondary education in 1993, denied owning two houses at
East Legon, a hotel at Dworwulu, one uncompleted house at
Adjiriganor, two completed houses near Aviation Social
Centre, and two houses at Trassaco Estates Developers.
Tagor, who holds shares in Cross Trade Investment, denied
using that business as front for his drug business.
He explained that his business was into real estate
development, rental of equipment and sale of goods and
services.
Tagor debunked the Prosecution’s assertion that due to his
drug related trade, he became scared when ACP Kofi Boakye
invited him to his office at the Police Headquarters hence
he asked Kwabena Acheampong to accompany him.
He denied ever referring to terms such as "keys" and "goods"
as cocaine.
The case of the Prosecution is that the accused are
self-confessed drug barons, who since 2004 had been actively
engaged in activities of promoting and establishing various
enterprises relating to narcotic drugs.
The case was adjourned to July 19 2007 for the Prosecution
to continue with cross-examination of Tagor.
GNA
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