Crime & Punishment of Tuesday, 26 May 2015

Source: GNA

Amoatengs case adjourned to June 29

Eric AmoatengEric Amoateng

The Accra Circuit Court hearing the case of Eric Amoateng, former Member of Parliament for Nkoranza North, over a forged passport, on Tuesday adjourned the case to June 29.

The court was forced to adjourn the case after the prosecution told the court that the forensic report of the signature of the alleged forged passport, which it ordered for was not ready.

Deputy Superintendent of Police Aidan Derry said his outfit is working hard to have the report but there have been some challenges along the line, but assured the court that by the next adjourned date the report would be ready.

The court presided over by Madam Ellen Amoah at the last adjourned date ordered that the verification of the signature of the passport should be done by a forensic signature analyst.

She also indicated that a copy of the order should be served to the Director of the Criminal Investigative Department at the Police Headquarters and the Inspector General of Police and a proof of service obtained for the court to know on which date the orders reached them.

The court made the order after the fifth prosecution witness; Mr Alexander Grant Ntrakwah Director of Passport gave his evidence and was cross examined by the Defence Counsel.

Mr Amoateng is alleged to have travelled to Ghana with a female Ghanaian Passport, after serving his conviction abroad.

He has pleaded not guilty and has been admitted to bail in the sum of GH¢ 200,000.00

The case for the state is that in December 2005, he went to the United States, and was arrested in the same month for possessing heroin, a narcotic drug.

He was jailed and after serving his sentence, Amoateng was released from prison on July 30, 2014.

On August 7, the same year, the accused person arrived at the Kotoka International Airport on board a Delta Airline flight at 1420 hours, and while going through arrival formalities, it was detected that he had in his possession a Ghanaian Passport which was allegedly forged, with the bio-data page substituted.