I only played intermediary role - Amanor

Accra, July 23 GNA - Aams Amanor, one of the five accused persons charges with six Policemen for robbing a Ghanaian businessman of 53,000 dollars, on Thursday denied claims by prosecution that he connived with the others to rob the complainant(Kweku Duah)of his cash. He said: "I only played an intermediary role by looking for a gold seller for the complainant".

Aams Amanor was giving evidence during cross-examination by Ms Cynthia Lamptey, Chief State Attorney at the ongoing trial at an Accra Circuit Court.

Amanor together with Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Patrick Kwapong, Chief Inspector Thomas Adu, Sergeant John Adjapong, Corporal Lawrence Dennis Quansah and Constable Benjamin Blejumah are being held on charges of conspiracy. The rest are Kwasi Tawiah, Peter Kwame Gyasi aka Kwame Tawiah and Bismark Ampofo.

Apart from DSP Kwapong, the rest are facing additional charge of robbery. They have all pleaded not guilty to the charges. Amanor said he had known Duah in Switzerland when he was working as a security man in a night club and they later became friends. Amanor said on January 13, 2009 the complainant called him on phone and asked him (Amanor) whether he knew someone who could help him buy gold in Ghana but he (Amanor) told him (Duah) that he did not know anyone but he would try his best to find him someone. Amanor said the complainant told him that it was possible to get gold in Ghana.

Amanor said that he told complainant that since he (Amanor) was not a gold dealer but he would link him up to a gold dealer to enable him (Duah) buy any quantity of gold he wanted. Amanor said he got to know Kwasi Tawiah through a pastor and he asked him (Tawiah) to link him Amanor to a gold dealer and (Tawiah) said he would try and get him someone. Amanor said after some days Tawiah informed him that he had found a gold dealer and that he (Tawiah) should asked the person to contact him. Amanor said he called Duah in Switzerland and informed him (Duah) about the development and he (Duah) contacted Tawiah himself. Amanor said after a week, Duah called him (Amanor) and told him (Amanor) that a gold dealer wanted payment to be effected in dollars which he Duah had accepted to convert Euros into cedis and later changed to dollars.

Amanor said he got back to Tawiah who also contacted Peter Kwame Gyasi who also contacted the gold seller. Amanor said the complainant called to tell him that he (Duah) was to arrive in Ghana on February 1, 2009 purposely for the gold business and would stay for four days. Amanor relayed the message to Tawiah who also told Gyasi inform the gold seller to prepare for the complainant. Amanor said Duah told him that he would want to transact the gold business the same night that he (Duah) would arrive. Amanor said that Tawiah told him that he lives at Community seven and he (Amanor) should come to his house for them to meet Gyasi to discuss the gold transaction.

He said about 8.30pm that day, when Duah arrived in Ghana, he (Duah) informed Amanor that he (Duah) had arrived at the Relax Cot Hotel where he normally lodges when in the country. Amanor said he called Tawiah who also asked Gyasi to inform him the gold dealer that Duah had arrived in Ghana. Amanor said he and Duah, Gyasi and Tawiah agreed to meet the gold seller the next morning. Amanor said he together with Duah and his friend Mohammed met Gyasi at the Friday's restaurant at Sakumono and they all drove to meet the gold seller in his house near Shalom Spot but he (gold seller) was not in the house.

Amanor said the security man at the gate of the gold seller's house called his boss on phone to inform him that he had some visitors but he (gold dealer) could not meet them that day. Complainant has known Amanor when they were both in Switzerland. Sometime, last year, Duah called Amanor from Switzerland to inform him that he (complainant) wanted to come and buy gold in Ghana. After Amanor assured Duah of the possibility of getting gold in Ghana, he arrived in the country in February 1, this year, and checked in at Relax Court Hotel at Dworwulu in Accra.

Duah got in touch with Amanor and he (Amanor) informed Duah that he had contacted some people who were ready to transact the gold business. On February 2, this year, at about 10:00am Amanor and Jeffery, now at large, who was armed with a pistol, Gyasi, and a Nigerian now at large, entered the room where Duah was lodging under the pretext of transacting gold business.

Prosecution said business was to take place between the complainant and Jeffery.

Before the meeting, Jeffery and the Nigerian had arranged with Amanor, who had also instructed Chief Inspector Adu, Sgt Adjapong, Corporal Quansah and a soldier, who is at large, to arrest Duah at the hotel.

Prosecution said Jeffery, the Nigerian, soldier, Amanor and Chief Insp. Adu, Sgt Adjapong and Cpl Quansah met Lance Corporal Muntari, Constables Acheampong and Blejuamah at the hotel. Some of the group members broke into Duah's room and Jeffery pulled a pistol and beat the complainant until he bled from his nose. They searched Duah, and took two envelopes containing 53,000 dollars, 800 Euros, GH¢2,000 from his pocket.

They ransacked Duah's room and took away a black bag containing two walkman CD players, a digital camera valued at 4,000 dollars; two bunches of keys and a Standard Chartered Bank cheque book. The accused persons arrested Duah and abandoned him at Tema and he (Duah) reported the matter to the Police. 23 July 09