I was deceived by Police— Accused

The former president of the Ghana Real Estate Developers Association (GREDA), Dr. Alexan-der Kofi Tweneboah, who is standing trial before the Financial Division of an Accra Fast Track High Court for SIM box fraud, yesterday told the court in his defence that he was deceived by the police to admit guilt for the offence.

He made this revelation when he was led by his counsel, Fiifi Abbam, to open his defence in the trial.

According to him, his house at Batsonaa was raided on January 15, by the police who arrested his cousins, Emmanuel and Edmund Essilfie and a nephew, Kweku Appiah, and assaulted one of the cousins.

He added that during the raid, the police took away a firearm and an electronic device, which he later got to know was called SIM box.

He said on January 16, he went to the Batsonaa Police Station where his relatives were in custody to seek bail for them and they were asked to report back on January 19.

He said one of the cousins, Emmanuel Essilfie, on January 17, complained of chest ache as a result of the assault on him by the police so he took him to the La General Hospital for treatment.

While at the hospital, he said, he received a call asking him to report at the Batsonaa Police Station together with the relatives and on his arrival, his phone was seized and he was handcuffed.

According to him, Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Seth Sowornu and Eric Korley drove him to the Headquarters of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID).

On the way, Eric told him, his nephew and cousins would be acquitted if he admitted guilt of the offence.

He said as he had no reason to doubt the sincerity of the police officer, he admitted the offence, thinking his relatives would be released as promised.

According to him, at the CID Headquarters, he was asked to write his caution statement after which he was taken into cells, and told that he was under investigation.

An attempt by his counsel to tender in evidence a medical report was objected to by the State Attorney, Joyce Debrah.

The court, presided over by Mrs. Efia Serwaa Asare-Botwe, adjourned the case to today.

The accused is facing three counts of providing electronic communication service without licence, possessing an illegal device contrary to Section 135 of the Electronic Transaction Act, and knowingly obstructing and interfering with the sending, transmission, delivery and reception of communications contrary to the Electronic Communications Act.

The accused has pleaded not guilty to all the three counts.