Vasquez Refused To Pay Bribe To Police

A witness yesterday told the Justice Woode Committee investigating the East Legon cocaine bribery case that Gerald Vasquez, the principal suspect, refused to give 300,000 dollars as bribe to the police.

Rosita Dosoo, the Cuban secretary and interpreter for Vasquez, said Grace Asibi approached her to contact Vasquez for the money. He was then outside the country with his friend, Vincente Creos on a business trip.

She said Asibi came to tell her that Joel Meija Duarte Moises, another suspect whom she rented the house at East Legon for, was "hot" and the situation was difficult so she needed the money to give to the police.

Mrs. Dosoo explained that she sent an e-mail to Vasquez who called back to tell her that he was not prepared to give any money since he had not been arrested with any cocaine.

Witness told the committee that both Vasquez and Creos left Accra on November 10, 2005 for a business trip and she has since not seen him, she only communicates with him on phone and through e-mail.

She said when Asibi persisted in demanding that she should call Vasquez to bring the money she suspected something fishy and recorded the telephone encounter between her and Assibi.

She said Asibi owned a shop, which she rented out to Compuchex a company in which Vasquez had shares. The shop was used as a showroom for the imported women's pants that Compuchex was dealing in.

Mrs. Dosoo said Asibi later changed the name of Compuchex to Afrodita soon after the police raided the East Legon house and seized the cocaine.

She said Asibi reported her to the Police Headquarters alleging that she had threatened to kill her.

Mrs. Dosoo, said she and Assibi were invited to the Police headquarters where Superintendent Tabiri and Inspector Frimpong interrogated her about the alleged death threat and seized the mobile phone she used to record her encounter with Assibi for further investigation.

Witness told the committee that the police suspected her because of her work relation with Vasquez and conducted a search at her house and the office but found nothing incriminating.

She said that she was innocent and did not know anything about the cocaine.

During cross-examination by Supt. Tabiri, Mrs. Dosoo identified a picture shown her as that of Idriss Adama, a brother of Asibi.

Asibi, however, denied that Iddris Adama was her brother.

Mrs. Dosoo said Asibi told her that Adama had just left the East Legon residence of Joel before the police raid for which Assibi said she was thankful to God.

When James Abiaduka, counsel for Asibi, asked Mrs. Dosoo whether Vasquez speaks English, she said he only speaks a little English.

Sitting continues today.