Security personnel can prevent a citizen from travelling - Witness

Accra, Aug. 25, GNA - A prosecution witness on Tuesday told an Accra Circuit Court that security personnel has the power and authority to prevent Mr. Stephen Asamaoh-Boateng, former Information and National Orientation Minister from travelling abroad with his family. "At that time, no court was in session to enable me secure a warrant to effect the arrest," the witness said.

Nana Kwame Osei, security personnel with the Bureau of National Investigations (BNI) was being cross-examined by Nene Amegatcher, Counsel for Zuleika Asamoah-Boateng, wife of Mr. Asamoah-Boateng. Mrs Asamoah-Boateng has been charged with assaulting a public officer, allegedly using insulting language on a public officer and rescuing goods or things from a public officer. She pleaded not guilty and was granted GH¢50,000 bail with sureties.

Nana Osei said: "The Director of BNI did not tell us to seize the passport of Mr. Asamoah-Boateng but told us to prevent him from travelling by any means acceptable to him." Nene Amegatcher asked: "You thought you have power and authority to prevent Mr. Asamoah-Boateng from travelling did you?" Nana Osei: Yes my Lord.

Counsel: "You also thought you have power and authority to prevent him from travelling without a court warrant?" Nana Osei: Yes my Lord; because at 21:40 no court was in session. I would have gone for a warrant from a court if a court was sitting at that time.

Nana Osei told the court that Mrs Zuleika Asamoah-Boateng prevented officials from the BNI from taking her passport and that of her husband and children since they did not agreed to the seizure of the travelling documents.

He said Zuleika snatched the passport from his back pocket while his colleagues were busy checking other passengers. Nene Amegatcher pinned him down by asking that the decision to take and seize the passports was your own decision is that right? Nana Osei replied; No my Lord, but I was not detaining Mr. Asamoah-Boateng, if he had agreed initially I would have handed over the passports to him and his family.

Nene Amegatcher contended that Nana Osei took four passports from Mr. Asamoah-Boateng but handed over three of them to him and kept one, which belonged to him (Asamoah-Boateng), of which no explanation was given and that the Director of BNI had instructed that Asamoah-Boateng should be prevented from travelling.

Nana Osei explained that he asked Mr Asamoah-Boateng to contact Mr. Edward Yaw Donkor, Director of BNI the next day stressing that the BNI is an intelligent organisation and do not disclose secrets. Nene Amegatcher said it was the seizure of the passports that brought about the disagreements, but Nana Osei vehemently disagreed and said it was the prevention of the seizure. Nene Amegatcher: Now as part of the measure to prevent Mr. Asamoah-Boateng from travelling, you took his passport and did not give it to him.

Nana Osei: No my Lord I didn't refuse to give his passport back to him.

Nene Amegatcher: Did you voluntarily give his passport to him when he requested for it?

Nana Osei: No because he wasn't ready to abort the flight. Nene Amegatcher: Placing the passport on the back pocket was a clear indication that you had seized the passport. Nana Osei: No My Lord, because he had by that time not heeded to Mr Donkor's instructions.

He explained that he was not interested in Mrs Zuleika Asamoah- Boateng's passport but that of Mr. Asamoah-Boateng. The case was adjourned to Wednesday, August 26. 25 Aug. 09