I wanted to save the President's car -Witness

Accra, Feb. 8, GNA - Mr George Oduro, Escort Driver in the President's convoy and a Prosecution Witness (PW) on Friday told an Accra Fast Track High Court he had wanted to save the President's car from being run into by the accused.

He said the pavement at the Opeibea intersection prevented him from blocking the accused car, which was coming at a top speed from the Aviance direction. Mr Oduro made this revelation during cross-examination by Mr Akuffo Kwame Boafo, Counsel for Thomas Osei, the man at the centre of President's car accident.


Thomas Osei, 51, a businessman has been charged with five counts of motor traffic offences, use of narcotic drugs and failing to change ownership of the vehicle. The charges include dangerous driving, negligently causing harm, driving under the influence of alcohol, failing to give way to Presidential siren and the use of narcotic drugs. The President escaped unhurt.


He pleaded not guilty to all the charges levelled against him. Mr Oduro said he drove the President in his car to the Castle after he had been pulled out of the Benz car by the security. He refuted claims by Mr Akuffo that he had been brought to the court to lie and to frame the accused in the case.


Mr Joseph Addison, a Vehicle Examiner at the Driver and Vehicle License Authority during cross-examination told the court that he was invited to the Airport Police Station after the accident to examine the President's car and the Golf car and that of the accused on November 27, 2007.

Prosecution also tendered in evidence to the court reports on the three cars, which was carried out by the vehicle examiner. Mr Addison rejected claims by Defence Counsel that he did not examine the President's car at the Airport Police Station and that it was done somewhere.


Lance Corporal Eric Asare, a Police Investigator at the Airport Motor Traffic Unit told the court that when he spoke to the accused at the 37 Military Hospital he smelled of alcohol.


He said he was then asked by his superior officer to go back to the office and bring the Alcohol Sensor to test the accused. He said when the test was done on the accused the sensor read 0.41 percent, which was more than 0.08 percent alcohol allowed by the law. Lance Corporal Asare also rejected assertions from Mr Akuffo that the machine he used on his client had malfunctioned and could not give the correct state of the person. Case adjourned to February 15, this year.