Adams car saga: CID did 'shoddy' job – Obiri Boahen

The Criminal Investigations Department (CID) of the Ghana Police Service did a “shoddy” job with regards to its investigation into the ownership of five cars seized from the private home of NDC National Organiser Kofi Adams.

The five cars were released to Mr Adams after he had provided all the necessary documents covering them to ascertain their ownership.

The vehicles include two Toyota Land Cruiser V8s with registration numbers GS 7451-12 and GN 7796-16 respectively and three Nissan Hardbody Pick-Ups with registration numbers GM 842-16, GM 823-16 and GM 846-16, respectively.

On 1 February, 15 armed men dressed in military fatigues, suspected to be army personnel, stormed the private residence of Mr Adams and seized all his vehicles in the company of four alleged National Security officers and personnel from the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA).

According to Mr Adams, who said he was in Dubai during the incident, the soldiers ransacked his Tema Gulf City home and drove away the five cars.

The cars, according to the soldiers, were suspected to belong to the state and were taken to the Flagstaff House.

National Security Minister Albert Kan-Dapaah later called Mr Adams to apologise to him saying the action was not sanctioned by officialdom. Mr Kan-Dapaah ordered the return of the cars but Mr Adams insisted they be taken to the police for inspection and an inventory taken before he could take them back. The CID, however, held onto the cars until Mr Adams was compelled to write to the IGP to demand his vehicles back.

The Pick-Ups are in the name of Japan Motors while the two Land Cruisers are in the name of Mr Adams.

However, speaking to the media on Friday, 17 February, Mr Boahen said: “I am saying they did shoddy work and a lot will follow with what has happened. I am not treating it as an isolated case. All over the country, you hear people complaining about the lackadaisical attitude of policemen and policewomen.”

“A lot of us are very much worried about the level of professional ineptitude. Common sense dictates that those boys who went for those vehicles ought to have been invited. Perhaps they may be in possession of some documents.

“At what point in time did they do the investigations and then they drew the conclusion and arrived at the final position that the vehicles be released to Kofi Adams without taking statements of those who went in for the vehicles, without giving them the opportunity to present their side of the case. What kind of shoddy work is that? This is not the end of the matter. We will pursue it to its logical conclusion. If the policemen want to be professional politicians, they are welcome,” he stated.