The famous recording said to have been bugged of former Police Operations Chief, ACP Kofi Boakye’s conversation with suspected cocaine dealers failed to play in court on Tuesday. Court clerks attributed technical difficulties as reasons for the failure to play the famous recording, brought to court on a CD.
The recording is believed to be a conversation between Kofi Boakye and four others, two of who are standing trial for narcotic related offences. Justice Jones Dotse, the trial judge in the case in which Kwabena Amaning alias Tagor and Alhaji Issah Abass are standing trial for their alleged role in the loss of parcels of cocaine on the shipping vessel MV Benjamin, had directed that the tape be played in court.
The court was all set to listen to the CD after the judge had overruled an earlier objection raised by lawyers for the suspects, however the recording only played out a muffled sound that defeated the purpose of aiding the prosecution of the case. At its previous sitting, the admissibility of the tape was a subject of intense legal debate between the prosecution and lawyers of the accused. The judge then adjourned the case to enable him give a ruling. After two weeks of considering the arguments Justice Dotse admitted the tape in evidence.
The judge said he was admitting the tape because he had satisfied himself that the tape was authentic and original and relevant to the case. He also said the prosecution had laid enough basis for the admission of the tape in evidence. He therefore dismissed arguments advanced by lawyer for Issah Abass that the recording was based on the participants’ consideration of the position of the Police Operations Chief. He consequently instructed that the recording be played. Tagor’s lawyer however pleaded with the judge to adjourn the case to enable them study the ruling and appeal accordingly.
Justice Jones Dotse refused to grant the request and maintained that the recording be played which was then docked by what the clerks said was ‘technical problems.’ The Judge then adjourned hearing to Wednesday for another attempt to play the recording.
Source: GhanaWeb
