Lawyer for three Russian nationalss charged with kidnapping by the Police a year ago has accused the Police Service of running away from their own case as they have failed to put evidence together for the prosecution of the accused persons.
The Police arrested and charged the accused persons with kidnapping contrary to section 89 of the Criminal and other Offences Act, 1960 (Act 29), nearly a year ago on the 18th of July 2018.
The case numbered D2/376/18 and entitled the Republic verses Musa Musaev, Rizakhan Sultanov, Vladimir Nabiev and six others at large with instituted by the State as a result of a complaint by another Russian national who is currently domicile in Ghana, Ramazan Kafarov.
According to an affidavit deposed to by lawyer for the three accused Russian citizens, Ralph Poku-Adusei, the accused persons have made over ten (10) appearances in Court but the complaint has never showed up and all Police Prosecutors have done is to ask for adjournment of the case.
The supposed complainant in the case Ramazan Kafarov, is the same Russian businessman in Ghana who has been in the news as a foreign national who had been issued an ordinary Ghanaian passport as well as a diplomatic passport. Details of the bio data passport page of Mr. Ramazan according to reports says that he is a Ghanaian by nationality. His passport number is quoted as GO654472 which was issued to him on 31 January 2014 and it is supposed to expire on 30 January 2019. Interestingly, according to the same affidavit referred to above, the complaint according to the accused persons is known to them as Richard Goldman, a Republic of Guinea national with passport number R0311526.
Ramazan Kafarov is suspected to be in a financial tango with some other foreign nationals including the three accused persons charged with kidnapping as a result of his complaint. Additionally, investigations point to the fact that the third accused persons Vladimir Nabiev, is in a civil litigation with the complainant over his illegal takeover of ownership of Geo Professional Services Limited (GPS) and that the complainant fabricated the kidnapping accusation against him and the two others in order to circumvent the civil action.
In court today, the 30th of May 2019, Police prosecutor, DSP Nanegbe Mawunyo, told the Court that their docket is ready for onward transfer to the Attorney General for advice. In the circumstance, he asked for a one month adjournment. In a sharp rebuttal to the position of the prosecution, lawyer for the accused persons, Ralph Poku-Adusei, drew the attention of the Court to the fact this is the fourth time in four months that the Prosecution is tell the Court they are ready to forward their docket to the Attorney General for advise. He further indicated to the Court that the Police are “playing with the rights and freedom of the accused persons and that the attitude of the prosecution clearly demonstrates an intention to derogate on the rights of the accursed persons.
The accused persons who’s passports have been seized and are in the custody of the registrar of the Court are demanding through their lawyer that if the Police are not ready to prosecute them, they should go ahead and discontinue the process for them clients to have their liberties. The Circuit presided over by Rita Abrokwah Doku, adjourned sitting to the 8th of July 2019 for hearing.
Source: Ghana/Starrfm.com.gh/103.5FM/Wilberforce Asare
