Complainant: Police made me to pose as drug dealer

Accra, May 11, GNA - The businessman, Kwaku Duah, who was robbed by six police officers and other five persons of his belongings and money in a hotel at Dworwulu in Accra, on Monday narrated to an Accra Circuit Court how the police made him to pose and confess as a drug dealer. He said one Jeffery, now at large, brought a box wrapped with a cello tape and put it on his lap for his picture to be taken and he was made to confess that he was a drug dealer. He said his confession was recorded at the Tesano Police Depot in Accra and he was told that they were going to publish in the media that he had been arrested for dealing in drugs.

According to Mr Duah the Police therefore requested that he paid 30,000 dollars so as to halt the publication. Mr Duah made these known when he continued with his evidence in the case in which six police officers and five others are being held for robbery. The accused are Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Patrick Kwapong, Chief Inspector Thomas Adu, Sergeant John Adjapong, Corporal Lawrence Dennis Quansah, Lance Corporal Karim Muntari and Constable Benjamin Blejumah. The rest are Aams Amanor, Kwasi Tawiah, Peter Kwame Gyasi aka Kwame Tawiah and Bismark Ampofo. Apart from DSP Kwapong, who is being held for robbery, the rest are facing charges of robbery and conspiracy. They have all pleaded not guilty to the charges and have been remanded into custody.

Led in evidence by Ms Cynthia Lamptey, Chief State Attorney, Mr Duah said DSP Kwapong who demanded the 30,000 dollars from the complainant asked what he could do for him. The first prosecution witness said when he was arrested at his hotel room he was sent to Tesano Police Depot where DSP Kwapong asked what could be done for him. Witness said he asked that his money and phones be returned to him. He said after DSP Kwapong had made some calls, Chief Inspector Adu returned two out of the three mobile phones and his passport but he was not given his money.

Witness said he informed DSP Kwapong that Sergeant Adjapong, a soldier who was in the company of Chief Inspector Adu, had taken one of his mobile phones. He said between 30 and 40 minutes after DSP Kwapong had made some calls, someone whom he could not remember returned one of his phones. The witness said on his request he was sent to Tema. Mr Duah said he opted for Tema because he did not have any money on him and wanted to meet his friend, Amanor who was then in Tema. On his way to Tema witness said he called Amanor who asked him to wait for him at a drinking spot.

"When Amanor arrived I saw him hand over a letter to Chief Inspector Adu, then DSP Kwapong, Sgt Adjapong, Corporal Quansah left me there." witness said. According to Mr Duah, that letter was the compulsory retirement of Chief Inspector Adu. Witness said Amanor drove him back to his hotel where the Hotel manager handed over to him an inventory of his belongings. He said some of the things that were missing included a digital camera, a kasapa mobile phone and his blood pressure drugs.

According to him, the hotel manager handed over to him a photocopy of a compulsory retirement letter of Chief Inspector Adu, which was among the documents which fell on the day of his arrest. Mr Duah said the following day he went to the Central Police Station to lodge a complaint with the Police and handed over the compulsory retirement letter to Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Bright Oduro.

"In my presence, Mr Oduro called DSP Kwapong and Chief Inspector Adu and they arrived and Chief Inspector Adu indicated that he knew me." Witness said Mr Oduro told him that he was going to collect his money from DSP Kwapong and Chief Inspector Adu and that he should give him some time. According to the witness he did not receive the money but later Mr Oduro informed him that Amanor blamed himself for all the mess, adding that, he (Amanor) had provided the Police with an indenture, which would enable them to sell his house and return his money. Answering questions under cross-examination by Mr Ellis Owusu-Fordjour,

Mr Duah admitted that he came to Ghana to purchase gold. Witness further admitted knowing where to purchase gold. The facts are that Aams Amanor had been known to Mr Duah when they were in Switzerland. Sometime last year, Mr Duah told Amanor he wanted to come to Ghana to buy gold and Amanor opted to assist him. Mr Duah arrived in Ghana on February 1 and checked into Relax Court Hotel at Dworwulu and got in touch with Amanor who briefed him about the supposed suppliers of the gold.

On February 2 at about 2200 hours, Amanor and Jeffery, now at large, who was armed with a pistol, accompanied by Gyasi, and a Nigerian now at large, went to the hotel room of Mr Duah under the pretext of transacting the gold business. The 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, Sergeant Adjapong, Corporal Quansah and the soldier, who is at large, to go to the hotel. When they got to the hotel, they met Lance Corporal Muntari, Constable Acheampong and Constable Blejuamah. They broke into Mr Duah's room and Jeffery pulled out a pistol on Mr Duah who they beat until he started bleeding from the nose.

The attackers later searched Mr Duah and took away two envelopes containing 53,000 dollars, 800 Euros and GH¢2,000. They also ransacked Mr 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 the complainant and later abandoned him at Tema. Hearing continues on May 14.