Crime & Punishment of Saturday, 1 August 2015

Source: GNA

Court adjourns Amoateng's case to August 28

Eric Amoateng, a former Nkoranza North MPEric Amoateng, a former Nkoranza North MP

The Accra Circuit Court, hearing the case involving Eric Amoateng, a former Member of Parliament for Nkoranza North, over a forged passport, on Friday adjourned to August 28.

The court presided over by Madam Helen Amoah was forced to adjourn the case after the prosecution failed to show up in court.

The prosecution was expected to present the report of the signature of the one who signed the passport after it was sent to the crime laboratory.

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 a bail of GH¢ 200,000.

The case for the state is that in December 2005, he went to the United States, and was arrested 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.