Policemen in court

Accra, Dec.5, GNA - A Police Orderly formerly stationed at the Kpone Police station on Tuesday said it was Detective Lance Corporal Dwamena Yabson, who gave a tip off on the alleged offloading of parcels of cocaine on the MV Benjamin.

General Sergeant Charles Manu was testifying in a case in which three of his colleagues are being held for allegedly allowing Asem Dake, alias Sheriff, to cart 75 parcels of cocaine from the MV Benjamin into two canoes at Kpone, near Tema.

General Sergeant David Nyarko, Detective Lance Corporal Dwamena Yabson and General Lance Corporal Peter Bondorin are now being held on charges of prohibited business and corruption by public officer. They pleaded not guilty before the fast Track High Court that remanded them into custody to reappear on December 12. A fourth Policeman, Detective Sergeant Samuel Amoah, is on the run. He jumped bail after an Accra Regional Tribunal granted bail to him and his accomplices.

Led in evidence by Mr Agyeman Duodu, Principal State Attorney, General Sergeant Manu said on April 26, 2006 at about 0630 hours, he was on duty at the Kpone Police station when Yabson, identified himself with his Police identity card that he had been sent to arrest some persons believed to have carted cocaine on the Kpone Beach. He said he called Detective Sergeant Isaac Asante and Bondorin to assist Yabson to make the arrest and made entries as such in the Station Diary.

According to General Sergeant Manu at about 0730 hours, Detective Sergeant Asante on his return told him that he did not know the whereabouts of the accused persons.

At 0930 hours General Sergeant Manu said he made entries on the return of the Yabson, Bondorin and General Sergeant Asante. He said when he enquired from Bondorin where he had been, Bondorin told him that they chased the said suspects but found no one. Answering questions under cross-examination, the Witness said it was a usual practice in the Police Service to offer assistance during emergency situation before making entries.

When asked whether there were any Witnesses at the counter when he made the entries witness said he was alone.

The case of the Prosecution is that in the earlier hours of April 26, 2006 MV Benjamin arrived on the high seas of Tema. The vessel was carrying 77 parcels of cocaine imported by one Sheriff Asem Dake. Soon after the vessel arrived, the parcels of cocaine were offloaded unto two canoes, which sailed to the Kpone Beach, near Tema. Some fishermen, who spotted the canoes, became suspicious and called the owner of the canoes. The owner of the canoes and others informed Sergeant Amoah, who was stationed at the Tema Newtown. He in turn mobilized the other accused persons and proceeded to the Kpone Beach. At the beach, the accused persons looked on until Asem Dake offloaded the drugs into a four-wheel vehicle. The accused persons failed to arrest him but followed the vehicle to Tema where Dake gave them some money. 5 Dec. 06