Defence counsel ends cross examination

The defence counsel in the case involving Eric Amoateng, a former Member of Parliament for Nkoranza North, over a forged passport on Wednesday ended cross examination of the fourth prosecution witness.

The witness, Assistant Superintendent of Police John Kweku Lodonu, of the Criminal Investigation Department Headquarters, during cross examination said he received a report from the first prosecution witness, and as such tendered that in evidence to the court.

Counsel for the accused person, Mr Charles Pouzuing, asked the witness whether he charged the accused person based on the report he received, and he responded in the affirmative saying that the report formed part of his investigations.

When asked what offence he charged the accused person with, he said he charged him for possessing forged documents.

The defence counsel again asked the witness whether in his investigations the accused person indicated that he was not aware that the passport had been tempered with and he said yes he did.

The witness said after the presentation of the case in court, he has done further investigations, but has not amended the facts in support of the charges.

Mr Lodonu answered that the facts indicated that the passport was issued while the accused person was in custody, and confirmed that that the passport in terms of investigations was seen as forgery on forensic analysis.

He ended by telling the court that looking at the passport with the naked eye one could not detect whether it was forged or not.

The witness has since been discharged by the court and the case was adjourned to April 2.

At the last adjourned date the defence counsel started cross examination of the witness and was expected to conclude today

Mr Amoateng is alleged to have travelled to Ghana with a female Ghanaian Passport number H2347080 after serving his conviction abroad.

The accused person pleaded not guilty and was admitted to bail in the sum of GH¢ 200,000.00.

The case of the state was that in December 2005, the accused went to the United States. In the same month, he was arrested for possessing heroin, a narcotic drug and jailed.

Mr Amoateng served his sentence and on July 30, 2014 he was released from prison.

DSP Dery said on August 7, 2014 the accused arrived at the Kotoka International Airport on board a Delta Airline flight at 1420 hours.

Going through arrival formalities it was detected that he had in his possession a Ghanaian Passport number H2347080, which was allegedly forged, with the bio-data page substituted.

The Accra Circuit Court hearing the case involving Eric Amoateng, a former Member of Parliament for Nkoranza North, over a forged passport, has adjourned the case to February 10.

This was because the prosecution, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Aiden Dery had fallen sick and could not be present in court on Monday.

However, Counsel for the accused person, Mr Charles Pouzuing was in court and ready to continue cross examination of the fourth witness, ASP Lodonu, of the Criminal Investigation Department Headquarters.