Former MP of Nkoranza North to know fate on July 5

The Accra Circuit Court will, on July 5, 2016, give its judgement in a case involving the former Member of Parliament (MP) for Nkoranza North, Eric Amoateng, who is being tried for the alleged possession of a fake passport.

The court, presided over by Mrs Vivian Ellen Amoah, fixed the date yesterday after counsel for Amoateng, Mr Charles Pouzuing, informed the court that the prosecution had furnished him with all the necessary documents related to the case and he was, therefore, ready to file his response.

The court then gave him up to June 15, 2016 to file his response.

Charge

Amoateng was arrested by the police in August 2014 when he arrived in the country after serving a 10-year jail term in the United States of America for a drug-related offence.

He has pleaded not guilty to the charge of possessing a forged document and has been admitted to a GH¢200,000 bail with three sureties.

Background

According to the prosecution, Amoateng was, on December 11, 2005, arrested in the USA for possessing heroin valued at $6 million.

It said Amoateng was tried, convicted and subsequently sentenced to a 10-year prison term and was released on July 30, 2014.

About 2:20 p.m. on August 7, 2014, Amoateng arrived at the Kotoka International Airport and while going through his arrival formalities, he was found to be in possession of a Ghanaian passport with the number H02347080.

The passport, the prosecution said, was in the name of Barbara Inkum and was issued on February 23, 2009 at a time when Amoateng was in prison in the USA.

It said analysis of the passport by the Document Fraud Office of the Ghana Immigration Service (GIS) showed that the passport was a forged one since its biodata page had been substituted.