The Director of Legal Services of NCA, who is also the first prosecution witness in the case, brought her testimony to an end while she was subsequently cross-examined by Mr. Thaddeus Sory, private legal practitioner, who is lawyer for the former NCA Board Chairman, Eugene Baffor Bonnie, one of the four accused persons.

The former Board Chairman and four others including the immediate past Director General of the Authority, William Tevie, are are facing trial for allegedly causing financial loss to the state.

[contextly_sidebar id=”hhevHSCZ1SirFPeCU8J5z6wVSBcA3zEc”]Mrs. Asafo Adjei, who served as Secretary to the previous Board of the NCA before the Board headed by Eugene Baffor Bonnie, was asked to proceed on her accumulated leave in 2015, upon the induction of the new Board.

Abena Asafo Adjei told the Court that she was upset about the Board’s directive to her to proceed on leave.

Answering a question posed by Thaddeus Sory on her reaction to the directive, the witness said she was indeed upset by that order.

Thaddeus Sory said: “I suggest to you that you must have been very upset when you were asked to go home”

To which the Witness replied: “Yes, that is the case. It’s only normal I feel that way”.

The witness had earlier told the court in the early period of the cross-examination that she was not unhappy with the decision, and had no plans of revenge when Thaddeus Sory suggested that was her motivation for being a witness in the case.

NCA Board didn’t approve withdrawal of $4m – Legal Director

During her testimony earlier in the day, Abena Asafo Adjei told the High Court that the money withdrawn from the NCA’s account, which was used to purchase the security equipment did not have the approval of the board of the Authority.

According to her, minutes of Board meetings during the period from 2015 till date, do not show any request and approval brought before members of the board.

Mrs. Asafo Adjei also added that, the only request for external support had to do with some Ghc2 million for the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation.

She had also on Tuesday told the court that she had no knowledge of the supposed contract signed between the Authority and Infralocks Development Limited.

Background

The case in question involves the former Director General of the NCA, William Tevie and four others, who have been arraigned for alleged fraud and for causing financial loss to the state over the alleged fraudulent $6 million contract signed between the NCA and Infraloks Development Limited (IDL).

The five are said to have fraudulently withdrawn some four million dollars from NCA accounts without justification.

Reports indicate that an Israeli company, NSO Group Technology Limited was contracted to supply the surveillance equipment at the cost of $6 million, to enable National Security monitor conversations of persons believed to be engaged in terrorism.

IDL was also reportedly charging $2 million to facilitate the transaction, bringing the total sum to $8 million.

But the three, through the said contract, allegedly withdrew $4 million from the accounts of the NCA and have failed to account for it.

But only $1 million was allegedly paid into the accounts of the Israeli company.

AG, defence lawyers argue over hearing days

At the last meeting, it was agreed that the hearings will be done on Tuesdays and Thursdays following arguments put across by both Attorney General, Gloria Akuffo, and defence lawyers.

While the AG’s office was pushing for the case to be heard every working day in a week, lawyers of the accused persons argued for once a week, citing among other things, the poor health conditions of their clients.

Resolving the disagreement between the lawyers, the judge, Justice Kyei Baffour, ruled that the case will be heard twice a week, and further asked the AG’s office to furnish the defence with all the documents they will rely on to allow for a speedy trial.

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By: Fred Djabanor & Godwin Akweiteh Allotey/citifmonline.com/Ghana

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The petitioner, Maxwell Opoku-Agyemang, had earlier argued that, Mrs. Osei’s lawyer, Thaddeus Sory, should not be allowed to represent her over a possible conflict of interest situation.

He contended that, because of Mr. Sory’s duty to the Commission, he could not stand as lawyer for Mrs. Osei as an individual, and should be restrained from representing her.

Mr. Sory argued that, despite him being Lawyer to the EC, the Commission was not a party to the substantive case in court, as Mr. Opoku-Agyeman was the being sued.

Prior to this, Mrs. Osei had sued Mr. Opoku Agyeman for defamation because he published the contents of the petition for the EC boss’ removal before it got to the president.

Mr. Opoku-Agyeman, in turn, filed an application to strike out the lawsuit against him on grounds of possible conflict of interest, in addition to the claim that Mr. Sory had confidential information on the case that could be used against him.

The petition was forwarded to the Presidency from unnamed EC staff who are being led by Lawyer Opoku-Agyemang, against Mrs. Osei, which is pending before the Chief Justice.

In the petition, a litany of allegations have been leveled against Mrs. Osei, including spending GH¢3.9 million to partition an office, receipt of a Toyota Land Cruiser from the erstwhile John Mahama NDC government, spending about $14 million when the Public Procurement Authority had authorized her to use only $7.5 million, as well as attending Cabinet meetings during the tenure of the President John Mahama, among other issues.

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By:Delali Adogla-Bessa/citifmonline.com/Ghana

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According to him, if he had those supernatural powers he would have vanished from prison custody to meet his wife and children.

Opening his defence before an Accra Fast Track High Court, Kombian also said he was afraid of the Police because he had been declared wanted by the Police in the North.

Kombian, led in evidence by his counsel, Mr George Asamaney, said the medicine he had come across was ‘Paracetamol’, which he normally took whenever he had headaches.

According to him, the story of the three policemen, who were shot at Nankpanduri was news to him.

Kombian denied that he was a notorious robber, who was being sought for by the Police in the Northern Region.

The accused person, who described himself as Christian and therefore swore by the Bible, stated that, he did not bear any grudge against any police man let alone kill any of them.

“The Police have not snatched my wife or girlfriend from me. Neither have I also snatched any of their wives or girlfriends, so why should I kill them? Kombian asked.

The accused, married with four kids, spoke Twi while testifying. He denied ever being involved in any robbery case.

According to him, he only “stole a six battery tape recorder” and was jailed seven years by a lower court in Tamale.

Kombian, a farmer and a shop owner in Nankpanduri, said he however escaped from prison custody because he could not stand the prevailing conditions.

‘’In fact, since the day I was born, that was the only time I got myself involved in any case and also went to prison, I have never involved myself  in armed robbery and as such I cannot be declared as a notorious robber,’’ the accused person stressed.

Kombian contended that after he escaped from prison custody in Tamale, he sought refuge at Togo where he spent three years.

‘’When I returned to Nankpanduri three years later, the Police had burnt and destroyed my mother in law, my mother and uncle’s houses, after subjecting them to some beatings.

“I think the Police embarked on that action between July 2008 and 2009,’’ Kombian declared.

Kombian contended that, he did not know why he was before the Fast Track High Court, saying, it was not true that on October 17, 2010 he and three others conspired to kill the policeman.

“It is never true that on that same day I and another person caused the death of Constable Prince Agyare and also attacked and killed Constable Owusu Frimpong.

“I am afraid of the Police because I escaped from custody. I don’t want to get close to them,” accused person said.

Kombian said on October 17, 2010, he was in Togo.

The accused person debunked the assertion by one Detective Corporal Samuel Darko Adinkra he (Kombian) that he was seen by witnesses riding on a motorbike, warning people to run away from the Police.

Kombian challenged Corporal Adinkra to produce those witnesses and their phone numbers so they could come and verify his (Adinkra’s) assertion.

Defence Counsel (DC): Corporal Osei Bonsu said he saw you shoot him and killed his two colleagues; tell the court what you know about that.

Kombian: I was in Togo. I am telling the truth. I did not kill any of the Policemen.

DC: In your Investigation cautioned statement, you stated that on October 16, 2010, you were in Nankpanduri.

Kombian: “Yes it is true. I went to Nankpanduri after I heard that my sister had passed away. In fact I went there to greet my family and returned to Togo the same day,” adding, he only spent 30 minutes in Nankpanduri.

Answering questions under cross examination, Kombian denied an assertion by the Prosecution, led by Mrs. Marina Appiah Opare, Principal State Attorney that his statement that he returned to Nankpanduri on October 16, 2010 only to spend 30 minutes in the area was an afterthought.

“I was declared wanted by the Police so I could not have spent more than 30 minutes in the area,” the accused person stressed.

Kombian said the police did not capture everything he told them in his statement.

Hearing continues on August 19. Meanwhile Kombian is expected to call two witnesses.

At the last sitting, prosecution closed its case before an Accra Fast Track High Court, after calling six witnesses to make their case out.

Kombian was expected to open his defence on August 5, but was taken ill hence the matter was adjourned.

Kombian and his accomplices, who are on the run, are alleged to have ambushed three policemen, and killed two of them on 10 October, 2010.

The victims were Constables Prince Agyare and Owusu Frimpong.

Kombian has denied before a seven-member jury the charge of conspiracy, and two counts of killing the two police officers.

He has been remanded by the court.

Source: GNA

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