Drama unfold at Venezuelans trial

Accra, Jan. 24, GNA - Drama unfolded at the 588-kilogram East Legon cocaine trial when Italo Gervasio Rosero, an accused person in the case, who could not speak English shouted out the name of a witness who was to testify in the case.

Rosero alias Italio Cabeza Castillo, a 38-year-old businessman, became astonished when Mr Noble Brain Dosoo, a shipping agent appeared to testify before the Fast Track High Court.

Rosero, who claimed he could neither speak nor understand English shouted aloud: "This is Shamo," as Mr Dosoo walked to the dock. The presiding Judge, Mr Justice Ayebi remarked: "so you could speak English."

Rosero and Joel Meija Duarte Moises had through their counsel said that they could neither speak nor understand English. The court had therefore solicited the assistance of an interpreter from the Ghana Institute of Languages.

Moises, aka Joel Mella, a 35-year-old machine operator, and Italo Gervasio Rosero, have pleaded not guilty to conspiracy to commit crime, importing 588-kilograms of narcotic drugs without lawful authority

and possessing narcotic drug without lawful authority. The third Venezuelan, Vasquez Gerado Duarte David, aka Bude or Shamo, is at large.

Mounting the witness box, Mr Dosoo, husband of Rosita, a Secretary of Compimchex, a firm which had Vasquez as a director narrated how he handed over Rosero to Vasquez.

The witness said he went to the offices of Compimchex, where his wife worked and Vasquez told him that he had given an assignment to Rosita. According to him, Vasquez stated that he would like him (Mr Dosoo) to do the assignment for him since "he was a man."

Mr Dosso said he was to pick Rosero at the Airport.

The witness said he proceeded to the Airport with a letter handed over to him by Vasquez, which he handed over to the Ghana Immigration Service (GIS) officials.

On his arrival, Mr. Dosoo said, he went into a room where he believed travellers were offered visa on arrival.

Fortunately Rosero was waiting there and he, (Rosero) paid 100 dollars and was issued with 15 days visa.

"He kept the receipt in his passport. I helped him pick his baggage and escorted him to the Final exist at the Airport where I handed him over to Vasquez," Dosoo said.

Defence Counsel, Mr Kwablah Senanu declined to cross examine him. Earlier, Detective Corporal (DC) Emmanuel Commey narrated to the court his role in the arrest of the accused persons.

Led in evidence by Ms Gertrude Aikins, Chief State Attorney, DC Commey said on November 24, 2005, he was among 13 personnel of the Ghana Police Service who invaded the house of the accused persons.

He said on their arrival at Mpasem, East Legon, the police went to a one-storey building where they were told to search for narcotics. "The gates to the house were locked so officials had to scale the wall before opening the main gate," he said.

DC Commey said he was positioned behind the house and as such he could not see anybody entering.

Answering questions under cross-examination by Mr Senanu, DC Commey denied that he beckoned Rosero and arrested him in the middle of a road. The case of the Prosecution is that on November 24, 2005, a team of detectives from the Headquarters of the Criminal Investigations Department (CID), acting upon a tip-off that there was cocaine in house number 348 at Mepasem, in Accra, proceeded to the house where they met Moises.

Moises was arrested and he led the Police to his upper room, where three bottles of ammonium used to turn cocaine into crack, a machine used in compressing the cocaine, 13 pieces of gloves and a quantity of plastic wrappers were found.

The Prosecution said brown cellulose tapes; a filtering bottle used in filtering and sniffing cocaine; an exercise book used in recording the names of people, who had purchased and had been supplied with the drugs and two cell phones were also found.

The court ordered its Registrar to write to the Ghana Institute of Languages to provide an additional Venezuelans interpreter. The case has been adjourned to February 7.