Former Minister & Deputy took Ghana@50 clothes for free

Posted: The Chronicle | Thursday, July 30, 2009


By Charles Takyi-Boadu
Questions have started emerging about the ‘strange’ circumstance under which the Director of the Eastern Regional Coordinating Council (ERCC) shared eight bales of Ghana @ 50 cloths among the then Regional Minister, his Deputy and the staff of the Coordinating Council.
This came up at the ongoing Ghana @ 50 probe yesterday, when the Director of the ERCC, Mr. Samuel Awini-Bawa appeared before the Commission to answer questions relating to the disbursement of funds and souvenirs allocated to the region, before and during the country’s 50th anniversary celebration. Though Mr. Awini-Bawa gave a vivid account of the various activities and programmes undertaken by his outfit, he was unable to give reasons as to why he gave out three bales of the cloths to the then Minister and his Deputy.

Asked why he decided to give out the bales for free to the aforementioned individuals and group of persons, Mr. Awini-Bawa noted that he was directed by his former boss who was the previous Director of the RCC in his handing over note to make such allocations, since according to him, the cloths and other souvenirs had outlived their relevance, considering the fact that the celebrations was over.

He also denied that he was given instructions by the Ghana @ 50 Secretariat or the National Planning Committee to sell the cloths and other souvenirs to defray the cost involved in producing them.

He noted that the RCC was given an amount of ¢7.4billion (old cedis), out of which they used ¢6.2billion (old cedis) on projects, programmes and activities, leaving a balance of ¢1.2billion (old cedis), which is currently lodged in an account opened for that purpose.

Out of the said amount, he noted that the RCC gave ¢100million each to the 17 District Assemblies to organize programmes and activities to mark the celebration. That notwithstanding, he noted the various Assemblies have not accounted for their individual and collective expenditure.

Earlier, the Director of the Ashanti Regional Coordinating Council (ARCC), Samuel Okyere Appiah-Kusi, who is barely one-month old in office, also appeared before the Commission to answer questions on how the region expended its part of the Ghana @ 50 funds.

He was, however, not able to give a vivid and detailed account of the expenditure, since according to him, there was not enough available documents to enable him give a proper account of the activities and operations of the RCC on the celebrations. Mr. Appiah-Kusi attributed the situation to the lack of proper structures at the RCC, which according to him, does not give room for record keeping, stressing that he could not get the needed information which would have enabled him to prepare a detailed account.

According to him, this was because one Mr. E. Y Kwakye, who was the Director at the time, had retired whilst one Mr. Taylor, who was also in-charge of the RCCs stores have also passed on.

This explanation did not go down well with the Chairman of the Commission, Justice Duose, who expressed his grave concern about the poor existing administrative structure at the RCC.

He, however, gave indications of his willingness to subpoena the said Mr. E.Y. Kwakye to come and account for his stewardship.

Mr. Appiah-Kusi virtually ended up complicating matters when he attempted to answer questions relating to the cost incurred on the celebrations by the RCC, which compelled Justice Duose to question his professional competence.

Before he was discharged for the day, Mr. Appiah-Kusi was asked to go and prepare a detailed report on the expenditure to reappear on a yet to be fixed date to give an account of the RCC during the Ghana @ 50 celebrations.

KOFI BOAKYEs RETURN IMMINENT

…As Appeal Court clears him of any wrongdoing
Posted: Sunday, July 26, 2009


By Charles Takyi-Boadu

The judgment of the Appeal Court last Friday in which it freed the two individuals at the centre of the MV Benjamin vessel cocaine case, Kwabena Amaning a.k.a Tagor and Alhaji Issah Abass seems to brighten the chances of Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Kofi Boakye return into the service.
In their judgment, the three Appeal Court judges, Justices Peasah, Addo and Appau wondered why the Police Chief has been made to suffer an unjustifiable fate for such a long time since in their wisdom, he did nothing wrong to warrant his suspension or interdiction from the Ghana Police Service (GPS).
According to the judges, the then Director in Charge of Operations of the Ghana Police Service, was desperate in clearing his name that had been linked to the 76 missing parcels of cocaine.
“The appellants could not have conspired by stating that they agreed to reap the benefits of the cocaine” emphasising that “He (Boakye) was right in adopting lawful and unlawful means to establish the source of the 76 parcels of cocaine. The said conversation could not be termed as a confession statement.”
They therefore rubbished prosecution’s claims that because they agreed to look for the source of the drugs, they had conspired to commit the crime.
They therefore saw nothing wrong with him either having or meeting the supposed ‘drug barons’ at his official residence at Kanda in Accra.
After listening to the tape of the said conversation and various arguments and evidence available, the judges indicated that there was no indication of Kofi Boakye wanting to conspire with the supposed ‘drug barons’ to commit the crime of dealing in narcotic drugs.
From the conversation, they noted that the Police Chief was outraged by speculations at the time, which sought to link him to the missing 76 out of the 77 parcels of cocaine on board the vessel MV Benjamin.
This, according to the learned judges was evident in the extent of his anger and outburst during the entire conversation, an indication of a man anxious to clear his name.
They wondered why such a material witness as Mr Boakye was not brought to court by the prosecution throughout the entire process to testify, stressing that this was deliberate.
For this reason, the court averred that it was not fair for the officer in question to be branded as though criminal or participated in a criminal process.
Aside that, the three judges indicated that the prosecution failed to prove as stated by the constitution about criminal proceedings, ‘beyond all reasonable doubt’ that the individuals whose voices were heard on the tape in the conversation were indeed drug dealers since there was no substantial evidence to prove that charge.
As a police officer, the court noted that Kofi Boakye could meet ‘suspected criminals’ anywhere to solicit for information which would be beneficial to his work and therefore saw nothing wrong with either meeting in itself or the venue for the meeting, which was his official residence.
By this decision of the court, Counsel for Kofi Boakye, lawyer Joe Aboagye Debrah believes that his client will be made to return back to his post to resume work since he did nothing wrong.
In several interviews after the landmark ruling last Friday, he was more than merely optimistic that the Police Council, which is chaired by Vice President, John Dramani Mahama will see the wisdom in the courts’ decision and reinstate Kofi Boakye.
He was therefore hopeful that sooner than later, his client will be made to take his place and position in the Ghana Police Service (GPS) in the interest of the nation.
Meanwhile, credible sources at the seat of government, the Osu Castle, have hinted the paper that possible return of the embattled Police Chief into the service has sparked a huge debate in the ruling government between some members of the administration and the party, the National Democratic Congress (NDC).
Information has it that though President Mills and some members of his government and more so the party would have preferred to recall Kofi Boakye back into the service, for the fact that he has done nothing untoward to warrant his continuous stay at home and was reinstated by President Kufuor before he left office, there is a deliberate attempt by others within the NDC who are against the idea.
The underlying fact, according to our sources, is that of a hidden agenda being pursued and championed by some serving senior officers in the Police Service itself who feel their positions would be at stake if Kofi Boakye were reinstated.
Jittery as they are, the officers are said to have embarked on a huge and intensive lobbying to keep the man whose style and penchant for not only pursuing but arresting criminals including the famous Aryee Ayittey alias ‘Ataa Ayi’ has earned him the nick-name ‘crime-buster’ at bay.
They are therefore said to be influencing their friends and colleagues in government to influence the President and his governments’ decision on the matter.
According to the source, whilst those in Kofi Boakye’s favour are believe he could help the government in bringing sanity into the country, especially in the capital, Accra where crime is on the increase, his opponents argue that he has dented the image of the Police Service and should not be returned.

After 2years of high-profile cocaine trial

APPEAL COURT FREES TAGOR
Posted: Chronicle on Saturday |July 25, 2009.


By Charles Takyi-Boadu

The atmosphere at the forecourt of the Supreme Court building in Accra was that of joyful moment for the Kwabena Amanning alias Tagor and Alhaji Issa Abass and their respective families as the two convicts were set free by the Court of Appeal. Abass and Tagoer were jailed in number 2007 for dealing in narcotics.
Overwhelmed by the verdict of the court, the two and their families could not find words to describe their feelings. The day marked a significant turning point in the lives since for the first time in almost two years; they put up smiles on their faces.
The two gained their freedom after serving almost 2years out of the 15years sentence imposed on them by an Accra High Court presided over by Justice Jones Victor Dotse.
In a landmark ruling which set aside the earlier ruling, Justices Peasah, Addo and Appau of the Appeal Court said the High Court judge erred in his ruling since he did not have enough evidence to convict the two of the charges brought against them by the prosecution.
It was as though they knew what the verdict was going to be, when the two gentlemen- Tagor and Alhaji Issah Abass beamed with smiles all morning, chatting and exchanging pleasantries with friends and family members.

Then came the moment when Justices Peasah, Addo and Appau entered the courtroom to deliver the almost 3hours verdict. The three unanimously agreed that the trial High Court erred fundamentally in convicting the suspects and therefore proceeded to acquit and discharge them. The court described the conviction of the two individuals as outrageous since in its wisdom, the prosecution failed to prove beyond all reasonable doubt that Tagor and Abass indeed committed the crimes for which they were convicted.
The court therefore ordered for their immediate released from jail, emphasizing that “at the close of case, the prosecution had woefully and miserably failed to prove their charges beyond all reasonable doubt.”

The two were said to have made confessions about their previous dealing in the drug business at the residence of Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP), Kofi Boakye in May 2006. The said conversation was recorded and anonymously dropped at the Georgina Wood Committee set up by the government at the time to investigate the missing 76 parcels of cocaine on board MV Benjamin, which had docked at Tema.

The Appeal Court said the High Court judge tried the case misunderstood the conversation that took place at the Kanda residence of Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP), Kofi Boakye between the police chief and the two, stressing that the said meeting was not to conspire and reap benefits from the supposed 76 of the 77 parcels of cocaine which were alleged to have been stolen from the MV Benjamin vessel.

The court could not fathom why a principal witness like ACP Kofi Boakye was not brought to court to testify during the prosecution, stressing that this was deliberate.
The court therefore saw nothing wrong with the said meeting between Kofi Boakye and the suspected drug barons. The court indicated that Kofi Boakye only wanted to clear his name from rumours which were then making rounds that he was involved in narcotic dealings.

Lawyer for Kwabena Amaning, Dr. Dominic Ayeni said though Tagor is still in jail, the court order would be served on the Director of Prisons who would immediately free him from the Nsawam Prisons. He told newsmen that hopefully, by Monday morning, the order would have been served on the Director of Ghana Prisons and Mr. Kwabena Amaning a.k.a Tagor and Alhaji Abass would be eventually freed.
The Fast Track High Court on November 28, 2007 found Tagor guilty of conspiracy, engaging in prohibited business relating to narcotic drugs because he confessed to his drug transactions. He was, however, acquitted and discharged for buying and supplying narcotic drugs.
The court, presided over by Mr. Justice Jones Victor Dotse, a court of Appeal Judge, also found Alhaji Issah Abass guilty of conspiracy and engaging in prohibited business relating to narcotic drugs.
The court, ordered that the sentences should take effect from the day of their arrest. The Serious Fraud Office confiscated assets of the convicts. The Attorney General and minister of Justice, Betty Mould Iddrisu has meanwhile told Joy FM that the ruling has come to them as a surprise. She said her team would be meeting on Monday to decide their next line of action.