Accra, July 31, GNA - Alhaji Issah Abass, who is being held with Kwabena Amaning, aka Tagor, for narcotic offences on Tuesday concluded his defence but his counsel indicated that they intended calling two or three witnesses before the Fast Track High Court. "My Lord, that would be the end of our defence, but I wish to state that we would be calling two or three witnesses," Mr Mohammed Attah told the court. The court obliged and said they should not hesitate to apply for a subpoena when the need arose.

Abass, 54, Chief Executive Officer of Gazimbex Ghana Limited and Issadies Company, both in Tema, continuing with his cross-examination by Ms. Gertrude Aikins, Acting Director for Public Prosecution (DPP) maintained that he recorded the ACP Kofi Boakye tape. Assigning the rationale behind the break in the initial recording, Abass said it was because he had gone to the washroom at ACP Kofi Boakye residence where he took the opportunity to check whether the tape was recording.

He denied that the Bureau of National Investigations (BNI) picked him up because he was suspected of stealing the cocaine on board the MV Benjamin.

Accused said when he was first sent to the BNI, he was not asked anything until he was sent to the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) of the Police Service where he gave a statement. Abass denied that he gave monies to Konu and one Nana Yaw to turn on the heat of the MV Benajmin case on Sheriff Asem Dake, the man behind the importation of the 76 parcels of cocaine. When prosecution challenged him that Konu and Nana Yaw never took the Police to Ada to effect the arrest of Asem Dake at a funeral, Abass said he could produce Konu and Nana Yaw to testify to that effect. Accused denied that he used a Police vehicle he allegedly impounded to front his cocaine business. Abass explained that the police had refused to pay him for service he had rendered and it was when he impounded the vehicle that the police administration presented a cheque of 18 million cedis as part payment. He refuted allegation by prosecution that he had no business doing for Narcotics Control Board and that he was fronting for Ben Ndego, an official of the board.

Abass denied that he came to court to turn evidence against Ben Ndego. He said he had never conducted business with Ndego. In a cross-examination by Mr Ellis Owusu-Fordjour, counsel for Tagor, he maintained that his intention for recording the meeting at ACP Kofi Boakye's residence was get him to talk. He admitted that, he had gone to ACP Boakye's office before the meeting.

Accused admitted that all allegations, levelled against him and Tagor, were not true and that they were to make ACP Boakye talk. Abass said he would not be able to tell the kind of transcripts, which were flying in the media but maintained that Ndego offered him a transcript.

Alhaji Abass and Tagor, 34, described by the prosecution as self-confessed drug barons, are jointly charged for conspiracy and are being tried for drug-related offences. Abass is also being held for carrying out prohibited business relating to narcotic drugs and supplying narcotic drugs while Tagor has additionally been charged for carrying out prohibited business relating to narcotic drugs, buying and supplying of narcotic drugs. They have pleaded not guilty and the court has remanded them in prison custody.

The case of the prosecution is that the accused are self-confessed drug barons who since 2004 had been actively engaged in activities of promoting and establishing various enterprises relating to narcotic drugs. The case was adjourned to August 14 to enable accused call witnesses.

31 July 07