… following tape exposé, massive arrests

Tuesday, 08 August 2006 -- Following the playing of the secret tape recorded during the alleged convention by the Director General of Operations, ACP Kofi Boakye with suspected drug dealers and the subsequent arrest of some people mentioned on the tape, other suspects on the tape have fled for fear of facing a similar experience.

Chronicle has been informed by sources close to the police administration that one of the names associated with the tape is Joe Brosby who has absconded from the country.

A participant of the infamous convention, Alhaji Issah Abass, had mentioned Joe Brosby on the tape as the one spreading rumours that ACP Boakye had clandestinely stormed the MV Benjamin Vessel to steal the 1700 Kg of cocaine. “Tagor called me back and asked, do I know that Joe Brosby is walking around speculating that me, Tagor, and Kofi Boakye were the people who had gone into the boat to steal the cocaine… then rumour started to come that we were responsible for the theft.” Alhaji Abass was heard on the tape audibly saying.

Alhaji Abass, Kwabena Acheampong, Alhaji Mohammed Imoro, Kwabena Amaning, A.K.A Tagor, who were all participants of the convention, together with one Kwadwo Ababio and Yaw Billa whose names were mentioned on the tape, were brought before the Georgina Woode Committee, handcuffed to testify yesterday.

However, they could not testify because the tape had not been transcribed, as a result they were asked to reappear on Thursday. Meanwhile, a witness, Mrs. Rosa Iris Dosoo (a.k.a. Roseta) testified before the committee yesterday, saying the woman at the centre of accusations of bribery and corruption against some top police officers, Grace Asibi, would usually deny her own statement.

The Cuban lady who was a secretary at Compuchez Limited, a company established up by Grace’s cocaine fugitive boyfriend, Vasquez Gerardo Duante David and Vincente Croese, a Dutch, said another office of Compuchez was changed into Aphrodita Limited by Grace in order that she could hold ownership. She told the Committee that soon after the two Venezuelans, Joel Mejia Darte Moises (alias Joe Melia) and Italo Gervasio Rosero Castillo (alias Italo Cabeza Castilo), were arrested and Vasquez was declared wanted for alleged possession of 588 kilograms (kg) of cocaine, Grace changed the name of that branch of the company. Mrs. Dosoo said she started taping Grace based on her past dodgy behaviour, insisting that Vasquez had not fled, but had gone away with Vincente to transact business.

She indicated that Vincente and Vasquez had intentions of extending Compuchez into a free zone area in Tema and had, on November 10 2005, traveled to Holland to look for funds to buy the land, although Grace had testified that Vasquez left the country on or about November 29 last year. “When they traveled, they were communicating,” she disclosed. “Initially, they said they will come back.” Mrs. Dosoo said after the arrest of the two Venezuelans, Grace came to her to enquire the whereabouts of Vasquez because she had lost touch with him. She emphasized that Grace asked her to call them and ask that $300,000 to be given to the police as bribe. “I sent them an email that they should call me immediately for an urgent information, but they said they were not going to pay any police officer,” she stressed.

Roseta said she became suspicious of Grace and began to tape her so that in future, she would have evidence to clear herself should Grace false accuse her of being part of the drug deal. Going into some background to establish her assertion that Grace was dodgy, she intimated that when Compuchez was established, the first consignment that was brought, she (Roseta) requested, in the presence of a cleaner, that she be given 40 pieces of ladies’ underwear to sell.

She said although her request was granted, Grace later ordered her to return the items. She continued that when she returned it, Vasquez had asked the motive behind the return of the goods, which she readily told him, but then Grace had burst into tears denying that she had asked for them, making Vasquez angry with Roseta, as he believed his girlfriend.

Roseta said there had fortunately been a witness around when Grace had asked for the items, and it was this witness’ confirmation of Roseta’s story that convinced Vasquez. Roseta also told the Committee how Grace had falsely reported to Supt. Edward Tabiri that she (Roseta) had called her on phone to threaten her life, for which she was remanded in a police cell.

She said it was not until Grace was asked to submit her cellular phone for the police to identify the number Roseta had used to call her, that it was discovered that it was Grace who had rather called Roseta’s phone twice. She said when queried, Grace claimed she had given the phone Roseta called her on to her sister.