By: Barbara Kumah
The trial of former Director of the National Signals Bureau, Kwabena Adu-Boahene, his wife and two others, commenced today Friday July 18, with the first prosecution witness a driver, Frank Anane Dekpey, taking to the witness stand to give account of the case.
During his evidence in-chief led by the Deputy Attorney General, Dr. Justice Srem Sai, the witness told the court that he worked for Kwabena Adu-Boahene, and the other accused persons as their chauffeur for five years, and mostly ran bank errands for them.
Frank Anane Dekpey a resident of Accra, told the court, prior to working as a chauffeur for the accused persons, he was a taxi driver for 12 years.
He said he knew the third accused, Mildred Donkor from the Cedar Mountain Chapel International, where the both worship and ran errands for her including washing her vehicle. He told the court that he met the first accused Kwabena Adu-Boahene during a church seminar when he asked him to transport food for a program. From that time on, he became his errand boy too.
The witness told the court, the second accused person, Angela Adjei Boateng, wife of Kwabena Adu-Boahene is also his church member and later found out that the couple already knew Mildred Donkor and were close.
The prosecution witness claimed Mildred Donkor, often sent him to deposit or withdraw money at UMB or Stanbic Bank to be given to Mr. Adu-Boahene, at his office located at Labone in Accra. He said he used to collect money from the Labone branch of UMB bank and also make deposits and withdrawals from the Airport branch of Stanbic Bank on the instructions of Madam Donkor.
He recalled sending monies withdrawn to either Mr Adu-Boahene or Madam Donkor but never to Madam Adjei-Boateng.
Anane Dekpey told the court that most of the time, he did not know the exact amount of money he withdrew because the cheques were sealed in an envelope and directed by Madam Donkor to be delivered to a specific staff at the bank for cashing.
He said he usually went to the bank with large “Ghana Must Go” bags and each time he went, the bank staff gave him a receipt to write his name, telephone number and append his signature.
In his narration, the witness also mentioned Vertex Solutions Limited where he made several deposits of monies he withdrew from Stanbic Bank on the instructions of Madam Donkor.
During crossing examination, the Defence lawyer, Samuel Atta Akyea, sought to know if the witness had worked with the National Security which he answered in the negative. Lawyer Atta Akyea further inquired into the arrest of the witness by EOCO.
The witness admitted that he was invited by the Organisation which he voluntarily honoured. Prosecution witness Anane Dekpey said he was detained for almost a week, interrogated and released on bail. The witness said he was interrogated because his signature was found behind the bank receipts. Further probe by the defence lawyer on the reason for the detention of the witness was objected to by the Deputy Attorney-General who said the witness had already answered the question.
Dr Srem-Sai said once a person is interrogated and provides satisfactory answers to the allegations he will not be charged with any offence.
Meanwhile, the third accuse Mildred Donkor, withdrew the services of Samuel Atta Akyea as her lawyer, in open court, telling the court, she would like to get a different legal representation.
