Ofosu Ampofo’s voice was on leaked tape — Kweku Boahen

Anthony Kweku Boahen, a Deputy National Communication Officer of the pposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), allegedly admitted in a radio interview that a voice in a secret recording which was calling for violence on some public officials was the voice of the National Chairman of the party, Samuel Ofosu Ampofo.

The said radio interview was played before it was admitted as evidence in the trial of Boahen and Ofosu Ampofo at the Accra High Court yestersday.

It was conducted by Benjamin Osei Ampofo Adjei, a journalist at Adom Fm, an Accra based radio on February 27 last year. The journalist is the first prosecution witness.

Not guilty

Ofosu Ampofo and Boahen are standing trial over the leaked tape in which the National Chairman was allegedly heard inciting violence against the leadership of the Electoral Commission (EC) and the National Peace Council (NPC).

The two have pleaded not guilty to conspiracy to commit assault against a public officer, while Ofosu Ampofo has pleaded not guilty to two counts of assault against a public officer.

The prosecution is trying to prove a case that the NDC National Chairman made the statement as captured in the secret recording and that Boahen’s alleged admission in the interview was a proof to that fact.

Interview

In the interview which was played in court, the journalist asked Boahen the exact date the said meeting was held and Boahen allegedly answered that officers of the NDC including him had had several meetings with the National Chairman but he did not remember the exact date in which the said meeting, where the said secret recording was made took place.

He, therefore, told the journalist to go and ask the person who did that secret recording.

After the interview was played in court, the prosecution sought to tender it as evidence, but lawyer for Boahen, Dr Aziz Bamba, raised an objection but that was overruled by the court.

The trial will continue on March 12, 2020 at the court, presided over by Justice Samuel Asiedu, a Justice of the Court of Appeal with additional responsibility as a High Court judge.

The defence counsel are expected to cross-examine Ampofo Adjei on that day.

Prosecution’s facts

According to the prosecution’s facts, following the Ayawaso West Wuogon by-election debacle on January 31, 2019, Ofosu Ampofo met with some NDC communicators on February 3, 2019.

The facts explained that at the said meeting, Ofosu Ampofo and Boahen set out a road map of criminal activities, including violence against the EC Chairperson, Mrs Jean Mensa, and the Chairman of the NPC, the Most Rev. Prof. Emmanuel Asante.

It said an audio recording of the said meeting was leaked, leading to investigations by the Criminal

Investigation Department of the Ghana Police Service into the comments on the tape.

The prosecution added that on February 27, 2019, Boahen granted a radio interview in which he confirmed

his participation in the meeting and also revealed that the leaked audio recording was a true reflection of what had transpired at the February 3, 2019 meeting.