Tagor and Abass face charges, minus two of the suspects
Gilbert Boyefio
28/11/2006
Fresh charges have been pressed against Kwabena "Tagor" Amaning and Alhaji Issah Abbas when the two made their maiden appearance at the Fast Track High Court in Accra yesterday.
The two are together facing seven counts of offences including conspiracy to commit crime, namely prohibited business relating to narcotics; buying of narcotic drugs; and the supply of narcotic drugs, which appear to be entirely based on the so-called ACP Kofi Boakye secretly recorded tape.
They pleaded not guilty to all charges.
Victor Kisseh, alias Yaw Billa, and Kwabena Acheampong who were standing trial with Tagor and Abass were not in court; nor were their names on the charge sheet. Their release would have brought to four the number of those discharged after being charged or held on information about alleged drug deals that were captured on the Kofi Boakye tape, after the suspended police assistant commissioner met some of the men in his house in April to discuss the whereabouts of more than two tonnes of cocaine that went missing in Ghana under surveillance.
However, a source close to the Attorney-General's office told the GNA Kisseh and Acheampong were in a different group of accused persons. The source said dockets were being built and as and when they were completed, they would be arraigned.
Kwadwo Ababio and Alhaji Moro have already been set free by the prosecution.
Presenting the facts of the case to the court yesterday, the Chief State Attorney, Gertrude Aikins, told the court that the accused persons are "self-confessed drug barons," who from at least 2004 have been actively engaged in undertaking activities for the purpose of establishing and promoting various enterprises relating to drugs.
She told the court that in the process the accused persons purchased, supplied, paid for, credited and distributed drugs in the country as well as outside the country.
Ms Aikins said on or about April 26, 2006, the MV Benjamin vessel, also known as the Adede 2, anchored in Tema breakwaters - where 76 out of its load of 77 parcels of cocaine where off loaded to two canoes which landed on Kpone beach in the Greater Accra Region.
She said the news of the 76 parcels of cocaine broke and spread like wild fire amongst the criminal underworld, and that security agencies soon got a wind of it and started investigating.
She said the then Director General of Police, ACP Kofi Boakye, invited the accused persons to a meeting in his house in relation to the missing 76 parcels of cocaine, and at the said meeting, the accused persons voluntarily confessed to their dealings in narcotic drugs and even boasted openly about previous activities relating to narcotic drugs and how they had settled old scores and disputes.
Ms Aikins said the accused persons confessed openly that they had purchased, supplied, paid, credited and distributed narcotic drugs in and outside the country. She said the conversation at the meeting was recorded.
She told the court that the accused persons at the meeting promised to look for the remaining 76 kilogrammes of cocaine and share it since it was too much for one person to enjoy.
Applying for bail for his client, Nana Asante Bediatuo, counsel for Tagor, said that Article 14(1) of the 1992 constitution granted the accused person the rights to bail. He said Tagor qualifies for bail because he has a fixed abode, a steady job and people to stand surety for him.
He said his client will not interfere with the case if granted bail, saying "the Police themselves will bear witness to his cooperation with them."
Nana Bediatuo told the court that the circuit court has on several occasions refused his client bail in the last four months. He said unless the prosecution has any proper case against the accused person, the proper thing is to grant them bail.
Osafo Buabeng, counsel for Alhaji Abbas, associated himself with the submission of Nana Asante Bediatuo. He described the continued refusal of bail by the prosecution as unreasonable.
Application for bail was denied and the accused persons were sent back to custody. The case was adjourned to December 5 and 6 for hearing.
28/11/2006
Fresh charges have been pressed against Kwabena "Tagor" Amaning and Alhaji Issah Abbas when the two made their maiden appearance at the Fast Track High Court in Accra yesterday.
The two are together facing seven counts of offences including conspiracy to commit crime, namely prohibited business relating to narcotics; buying of narcotic drugs; and the supply of narcotic drugs, which appear to be entirely based on the so-called ACP Kofi Boakye secretly recorded tape.
They pleaded not guilty to all charges.
Victor Kisseh, alias Yaw Billa, and Kwabena Acheampong who were standing trial with Tagor and Abass were not in court; nor were their names on the charge sheet. Their release would have brought to four the number of those discharged after being charged or held on information about alleged drug deals that were captured on the Kofi Boakye tape, after the suspended police assistant commissioner met some of the men in his house in April to discuss the whereabouts of more than two tonnes of cocaine that went missing in Ghana under surveillance.
However, a source close to the Attorney-General's office told the GNA Kisseh and Acheampong were in a different group of accused persons. The source said dockets were being built and as and when they were completed, they would be arraigned.
Kwadwo Ababio and Alhaji Moro have already been set free by the prosecution.
Presenting the facts of the case to the court yesterday, the Chief State Attorney, Gertrude Aikins, told the court that the accused persons are "self-confessed drug barons," who from at least 2004 have been actively engaged in undertaking activities for the purpose of establishing and promoting various enterprises relating to drugs.
She told the court that in the process the accused persons purchased, supplied, paid for, credited and distributed drugs in the country as well as outside the country.
Ms Aikins said on or about April 26, 2006, the MV Benjamin vessel, also known as the Adede 2, anchored in Tema breakwaters - where 76 out of its load of 77 parcels of cocaine where off loaded to two canoes which landed on Kpone beach in the Greater Accra Region.
She said the news of the 76 parcels of cocaine broke and spread like wild fire amongst the criminal underworld, and that security agencies soon got a wind of it and started investigating.
She said the then Director General of Police, ACP Kofi Boakye, invited the accused persons to a meeting in his house in relation to the missing 76 parcels of cocaine, and at the said meeting, the accused persons voluntarily confessed to their dealings in narcotic drugs and even boasted openly about previous activities relating to narcotic drugs and how they had settled old scores and disputes.
Ms Aikins said the accused persons confessed openly that they had purchased, supplied, paid, credited and distributed narcotic drugs in and outside the country. She said the conversation at the meeting was recorded.
She told the court that the accused persons at the meeting promised to look for the remaining 76 kilogrammes of cocaine and share it since it was too much for one person to enjoy.
Applying for bail for his client, Nana Asante Bediatuo, counsel for Tagor, said that Article 14(1) of the 1992 constitution granted the accused person the rights to bail. He said Tagor qualifies for bail because he has a fixed abode, a steady job and people to stand surety for him.
He said his client will not interfere with the case if granted bail, saying "the Police themselves will bear witness to his cooperation with them."
Nana Bediatuo told the court that the circuit court has on several occasions refused his client bail in the last four months. He said unless the prosecution has any proper case against the accused person, the proper thing is to grant them bail.
Osafo Buabeng, counsel for Alhaji Abbas, associated himself with the submission of Nana Asante Bediatuo. He described the continued refusal of bail by the prosecution as unreasonable.
Application for bail was denied and the accused persons were sent back to custody. The case was adjourned to December 5 and 6 for hearing.
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