Prosecutor in DSP Tehoda's case is indisposed

A State Attorney on Monday told an Accra Circuit Court hearing the case of DSP Gifty Maweunyega Tehoda, the Senior Police Officer at the centre of the alleged swapping of cocaine that the prosecutor in the case was indisposed.

Mr Owusu Ameyaw, a State Attorney told the court that Mr Rexford Anthony Wiredu, the Chief State Attorney handling the case could not attend court because he was not well.

He told the court that the accused, had not been reporting regularly to the Bureau of National Investigation (BNI) as part of the bail condition directed by the High Court.

Mr Ameyaw said the accused only reported once to the BNI after which she had never reported.

DSP Tehoda, however, refuted the claims by the prosecution and said she had been reporting to the BNI as directed by the Court.

Ms Audrey Kokuvi Tay, the trial judge, who was not happy with the continuous delay of the case, said she had still not been served with the ruling from the High Court, which granted the accused bail.

She said this was making it difficult for the court to proceed on the matter and subsequently adjourned the case to Monday, April 2.

The facts are that Vice President John Dramani Mahama, on December 4, 2011, directed the Bureau of National Investigation (BNI) to investigate the loss of 1,020 grammes of cocaine tendered in evidence at an Accra Circuit Court on September 27, 2011, which was admitted without any objection in a case against Nana Ama Martins.

However, the following day at the trial, the defence objected to the exhibit claiming it was not cocaine.

Mr Wiredu said the prosecution would lead evidence to show that an uncle of Nana Ama Martins, one Yankey, and a sister of Nana Ama called Gyabaah Serwah, informed a witness that they had managed with the assistance of DSP Tehoda to change the cocaine into sodium bicarbonate after the trial judge had refused to take GHC5,000 as bribe. An amount of GHC4, 000 was for the judge and GHC1,000 to the Court Clerk, one Lawalni.

He said there was evidence that one Beatrice Narh, a family member of Nana Ama Martins, confided in her (witness) not to tell anyone about the role played by DSP Tehoda and others in the alleged swapping exercise.

Deputy Superintendent of Police Tehoda was the Deputy Head, Commercial Crime Unit at the Police Headquarters in Accra.

Mr Wiredu said the witness stated that they contacted one lawyer Komla Senanu and had to pay GHC10,000 as legal fees but because Nana Ama Martins could not pay, her sister Serwah and others agreed to sell a house belonging to Nana Ama to pay for the legal fees and other expenses.

He said DSP Tehoda and the uncle of Nana Ama Martins, Yankey, spearheaded the process by sending the indenture on the property to the Lands Commission to ascertain its validity and sale after which the proceeds was given to DSP Tehoda.

Mr Wiredu said DSP Tehoda invited lawyer Senanu on three occasions to her office and paid him the legal fees and informed him (Lawyer Senanu) that they had managed to swap the cocaine and turned it into sodium bicarbonate.

He said after the second test, which proved negative for cocaine, and Nana Ama Martins was released, DSP Tehoda was seen jubilating in her office on that day.

Mr Wiredu noted that the process of changing the cocaine into sodium bicarbonate was facilitated by DSP Tehoda, hence her being charged with abetment for undertaking an activity relating to narcotics.

DSP Tehoda is on GHc100, 000 bail with two sureties, one to be justified following an appeal at the Human Rights Court. She is to report to the Police every Monday.**