Rokko Bullet Not Ready

ASP Patrick Morkeh, prosecutor in the case in which five soldiers were charged in connection with the murder of Rokko Frimpong, former Deputy Managing Director of Ghana Commercial (GCB) Bank, has for the second time pleaded with an Osu Magistrate Court to be given more time to enable him get the forensic result of a bullet believed to have been used in perpetrating the act. He told the court presided over by Emmanuel Plange Brew that the result from the bullet, which had been taken to the laboratory for analysis, was yet to be released. The police officer therefore prayed the court for the continuous remand of the suspects; Sgts Michael Arthur, Richard Somuah, Lamptey Hazel, and Cpls Charles Ankumah and Emmanuel Antwi. Counsel for the accused persons, Joe Aboagye Debrah was not pleased with the excuse given by the prosecutor. He told the trial judge that he had the power to order their release upon a reasonable condition, as the constitution of Ghana supersedes any other law. According to him, �What the prosecution was doing was setting a dangerous precedence to the criminal justice system�, as far as the case is concerned. Mr. Debrah said there was a police committee that investigated those behind the murder. He said as far as he is aware some persons were arrested and processed for court and have been on trial. The lawyer explained that the prosecution�s claim that they have uncovered a bullet in connection with the crime two years after it occurred was a blatant lie. He said in his opinion they were committing perjury and disrespecting the court. In addition, he described the action of the prosecution as falsehood which was distressing to his client. The trial judge said he is giving the prosecution its last chance on the matter and adjourned the case to February 16, 2010. Meanwhile, the bill of indictment and summary of evidence is yet to be presented to the defence team to enable it prepare properly for the trial. During the last hearing, the prosecuting officer said he needed more time to conclude investigations since a bullet believed to be connected to the crime had been found and sent to the lab for a forensic examination. The prosecution alleged that the suspects were hired by a superior authority to eliminate the former GCB boss. Mr. Debrah told the court that the suspects have been detained for sometime now and their pleas were yet to be taken. According to him, the soldiers are in a legal limbo and there was the need for the prosecuting team to expedite action so as to ensure a speedy trial. He noted that it was possible for them to come up with one excuse which could delay the trial. The accused persons were arraigned after they were freed less than four days after their detention. An Accra Fast Track High Court had ordered the release of the five soldiers on the ground of gross human rights violations. All of them have been charged with conspiracy and murder but their plea was not taken. ASP Patrick Morkeh told the court that the accused persons, who are soldiers, were part of the 64 Infantry Battalion of the Ghana Armed Forces. He said sometime in June 2007, during the re-denomination of the Cedi, the then Deputy Director of GCB, Rokko Frimpong, discovered some rot in the exercise which had allegedly been committed by some government officials. He stated that some persons masterminded a way of ensuring that the secret would not be unraveled, consequently engaging the soldiers to eliminate Mr. Frimpong for a fee of between GH�5,000 to GH�15,000. The accused persons agreed, subsequently meeting the said persons to plan the deadly operation. According to him, during their arrest some of the accused persons admitted to receiving some money while others denied it. Mr. Debrah, in his submission, said the stories were concocted against his clients because whatever money any of the solders received was part of the ex-gratia awarded to the military by the former President, John Agyekum Kufuor.