Tagor's counsel decries frequent adjournment

Accra, Feb. 14, GNA - Defence counsel for Kwabena Amaning, aka Tagor on Wednesday decried the frequent adjournments sought by prosecution in the case, saying they were delaying the trial. Mr Ellis Owusu-Fordjour therefore prayed the Fast Track High Court to admit his client to bail and whenever the prosecution was ready they would appear to stand trial.

"We have tolerated the prosecution for far too long. This is the Fast Track High Court; if they think they are not ready, they should be admitted on bail and when they are ready, we appear to stand trial," Mr Owusu-Fordjour said.

Tagor and Alhaji Issah 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 also being held for carrying out prohibited business relating to narcotic drugs and supplying narcotic drugs. They have pleaded not guilty.

The court, presided over by Mr Justice J. Dotse has remanded them in prison custody.

Mr Owusu-Fordjour's submission arose after Ms Gertrude Aikins, Chief State Attorney, apologised to the court for their in ability to produce witnesses and prayed the court again for an adjournment. According to Ms Aikins, witnesses who were expected to testify were not in the court's jurisdiction and prayed for a week adjournment. Mr Owusu-Fordjour drew the court's attention to the fact that his client had been in custody since August 2, last year and he was being treated as a convict.

"My client is being sent to police cells and various prisons not to talk about the psychological and mental torture he was going through." Counsel said he visited Tagor at the Police Hospital and saw him in handcuffs while an intravenous infusion was being administered to him. Mr Owusu-Fordjour said the High Court had the jurisdiction under the constitution to ensure his client's personal liberty.

He therefore prayed the court to admit Tagor to bail.

Mr Osafo Buabeng, counsel for Abass, deployed the way his client's health was being toyed with by the Police which was now fishing for more information.

The court overruled the oral application and asked defence to file a written one.

It further ordered Detective Inspector Charles Adaba, the investigator, to be mindful of the accused person's health conditions.

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.

In the process, the accused persons purchased, supplied, paid and credited the drugs, which they further distributed outside and within the country.

The prosecution said on April 26, 2006, a ship, MV Benjamin, anchored in Tema breakwaters with 77 parcels of cocaine. However, 76 parcels were offloaded into two canoes, which landed at the Kpone Beach in the Greater Accra Region.

The prosecution said the news of the 76 parcels got to people of the underworld and even the security agencies also had wind of it. Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Kofi Boakye invited them to a meeting in his house at Kanda in relation to the missing cocaine. At that meeting, the accused persons voluntarily confessed to their dealings in narcotic business and even boasted openly of previous activities.

The accused in the process also confessed openly that they had purchased drugs, supplied, credited and distributed drugs outside. The accused at ACP Kofi Boakye's house also agreed to locate the 76 parcels of cocaine seized and share it in furtherance of their business because the quantity of cocaine brought in by the MV Benjamin was too much for one person to enjoy.

The Government set up the Georgina Wood Committee to investigate some cocaine-related cases, including the MV Benjamin case and alleged bribery of Senior Police Officers in connection with a 588 kilos of the drug seized from some Venezuelans at East Legon in Accra. Hearing continues on February 21, 2007.