No paper trail on accused persons - Witness in SIM box fraud case says (Page 26)

 

The Criminal Investigations Department (CID) of the Ghana Police Service has no paper trail on accused persons it sends to various police stations because it has no holding cell of its own.

The only documentation that follows such accused persons  is remand warrants.

This cropped up yesterday when the Head of the Communication and Visa Fraud Unit of the CID, Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Seth Sewornu, mounted the witness box in the case in which the former President  of the Ghana Real Estate Developers Association (GREDA),  Alexander K. Tweneboah, is being tried before the Fast Track High Court for his involvement in SIM box fraud. 

He has been charged with providing electronic communication service without licence, possessing illegal device and knowingly obstructing and interfering with sending, transmission, delivery and reception of communication.

He has pleaded not guilty and is currently on a GH¢200,000 bail with two sureties.

At yesterday’s sitting, counsel for the accused, Mr Fiifi Abban, attacked the testimony of Mr Sewornu, a prosecution witness, describing it as inconsistent. 

Marathon cross-examination 

During cross-examination which lasted for more than two hours, Mr Sewornu said there had been miscommunication between his office and the Batsoona Police about the date and time three other persons – Emmanuel Kofi Essilfie, Edmond Essilfie and Kwaku Appiah – who were charged alongside the former GREDA boss, were granted bail.

He said the accused persons were arrested on January 15, 2015 and granted bail the next day by the Batsoona Police, but their bail was regularised on January 19 by his (Mr Sewornu’s) office. 

In the case of Tweneboah, tendering the police diary of action in evidence, Mr Abban attacked the document which showed that Tweneboah was arrested on January 17, 2015 and gave his statement on January 19. 

However, Mr Sewornu rebutted the claim, saying the accused person was arrested on January 19 and granted bail on the same day.

Mr Abban also sought to accuse the CID of unduly keeping the accused person in police custody from January 17 when he was allegedly arrested to January 19 when his caution statement was taken.

But the witness insisted that the accused person was arrested on January 19.

Court not interested in 48-hour bail 

The presiding judge, Justice Serwah Asare-Botwe, however, stepped in and said the court at the moment was not interested in whether the accused person had been unduly kept in police custody.

Rather, what the court was curious about was whether some promises were made to the accused person that made him to say his three accomplices were not part of the alleged crime. 

She, however, expressed concern about the lack of documentation on accused persons sent to police stations.

The case has been adjourned to May 18, 2015.

The Criminal Investigations Department (CID) of the Ghana Police Service has no paper trail on accused persons it sends to various police stations because it has no holding cell of its own.

The only documentation that follows such suspects is remand warrants.
This cropped up yesterday when the Head of the Communication and Visa Fraud Unit of the CID, Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Seth Sewornu, mounted the witness box in the case in which the former President  of the Ghana Real Estate Developers Association (GREDA),  Alexander K. Tweneboah, is being tried before the Fast Track High Court for his involvement in SIM box fraud.
He has been charged with providing electronic communication service without licence, possessing illegal device and knowingly obstructing and interfering with sending, transmission, delivery and reception of communication.
He has pleaded not guilty and is currently on a GH¢200,000 bail with two sureties.
At yesterday’s sitting, counsel for the accused, Mr Fiifi Abban, attacked the testimony of Mr Sewornu, a prosecution witness, describing it as inconsistent.
Marathon cross-examination 
During cross-examination which lasted for more than two hours, Mr Sewornu said there had been miscommunication between his office and the Batsoona Police about the date and time three other persons – Emmanuel Kofi Essilfie, Edmond Essilfie and Kwaku Appiah – who were charged alongside the former GREDA boss, were granted bail.
He said the accused persons were arrested on January 15, 2015 and granted bail the next day by the Batsoona Police, but their bail was regularised on January 19 by his (Mr Sewornu’s) office.
In the case of Tweneboah, tendering the police diary of action in evidence, Mr Abban attacked the document which showed that Tweneboah was arrested on January 17, 2015 and gave his statement on January 19.
However, Mr Sewornu rebutted the claim, saying the accused person was arrested on January 19 and granted bail on the same day.
Mr Abban also sought to accuse the CID of unduly keeping the accused person in police custody from January 17 when he was allegedly arrested to January 19 when his caution statement was taken.
But the witness insisted that the accused person was arrested on January 19.
Court not interested in 48-hour bail 
The presiding judge, Justice Serwah Asare-Botwe, however, stepped in and said the court at the moment was not interested in whether the accused person had been unduly kept in police custody.
Rather, what the court was curious about was whether some promises were made to the accused person that made him to say his three accomplices were not part of the alleged crime.
She, however, expressed concern about the lack of documentation on accused persons sent to police stations.
The case has been adjourned to May 18, 2015.

- See more at: http://www.graphic.com.gh/news/general-news/42901-no-paper-trail-on-accused-persons-witness-in-sim-box-fraud-case-says.html#sthash.xUidk8vy.dpuf