Cocaine Case: 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; 93it 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. 22 March 07