BNI Officer Testifies

Detective Sergeant Michael Obimpeh Nseibo, the investigator in the trial of the wife of the Former Minister for Information, Asamoah Boateng, for allegedly assaulting and verbally abusing a Bureau Of National Investigations (BNI) officer, Nana Osei Kwame, has testified that after the case was reported, a medical form was issued to him (Osei) to attend hospital. The investigator, who also said he cautioned Zuleika Jennifer Lowia, the former minister�s wife, and charged her before court in connection with the offence, also said he used a live report by Radio Gold, an Accra-based radio station, on the incident involving Mrs. Asamoah Boateng and the officer during the course of his investigations. The witness said this in an Accra Circuit Court presided over by Judge Mrs. Adjoa Coleman, when he was giving his evidence in-chief, led by DSP A. Boye, the prosecutor in the case. Narrating how he got involved in the case, he said a case docket involving the accused, received by the Airport police on June 17, 2009, was referred to him to investigate. The police officer also stated that he went to the house of the accused person but did not meet her and as a result, left a message that she should report to the Criminal Investigations Department Regional Command, which she did. He said when she arrived at the Regional Command, she was cautioned, after which he charged her for court in connection with the offence. The witness wanted to have the medical form tendered in as evidence, but Nene Amegatcher, counsel for the accused person, objected on grounds that he was not the one who issued the medical report and could therefore not answer questions on it. The witness again wanted to tender the tape from Radio Gold, but Mr. Amegatcher again objected to the tendering of the tape. Hearing continues today, Thursday, September 3rd 2009. Three persons have so far testified in the case, the first being the alleged victim of the assault, Mr. Osei, who alleged that the accused person, after her husband, also known as Asabee, was prevented from travelling to the United Kingdom following orders from the Acting BNI Director in June, pounced on him, turned him backwards and managed to take back her husband�s passport which was then in his possession. Mr. Osei who also alleged that she used abusive words such as �villagers� and �jungle boys�, said he did not consider himself as such, but when Nene Amegatcher suggested that he was not the one his client was referring to, Mr. Osei maintained that Mrs. Asabee indeed insulted him. The alleged assault victim was of the opinion that he was instructed by their commander at the Kotoka International Airport where he was stationed to prevent Asabee from travelling, but admitted that at that time, the former minister had not been charged with any criminal offence. A colleague of the alleged victim, Seth Osei, who was said to be there at the time of the incident, also testified, alleging that the accused person indeed assaulted the officer after verbally abusing them both. The former minister, his wife and six others are also standing trial for not following due processes in awarding a contract for the renovation of the Ministry of Information.