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19.08.2004 Crime & Punishment

Witness denies being mischievous towards Nii Lantey.

19.08.2004 LISTEN
By GNA

Accra, Aug. 19 GNA - Faisal Abubakar, a 19-year-student, on Thursday denied that he was being mischievous by implicating Nii Lantey Vanderpuje, National Democratic Congress (NDC) Parliamentary Candidate for Odododiodio Constituency, and two others in electoral fraud. Abubakar, who is the third Prosecution Witness in the case in which Nii Lantey and two others are facing trial for fraudulent voters' registration, maintained that his evidence before the Court was not false although he was scared about the case.

Fuseini Musah also known as Alhaji Musah and Gariba Mohammed have been charged with registering as voters without authority and are in the dock with Nii Lantey, who has been charged with abetment of crime. They have all pleaded not guilty and the Court presided over by Mr Williwise Kyeremeh has granted each of them 30 million cedis bail with a surety.

Abubakar told the Court under cross-examination by Mr Okaijah Adamafio, Counsel for Nii Lantey; that on August 13 when he went home from school on holidays Fuseini Musah, the Second Accused, had left a message with his parents that he should go and see officials of the Bureau of National Investigations (BNI).

Abubakar maintained that he and nine others, who were recruited for the registration, went in two batches and he was among the second batch. He said it was Bansa Borkwei, who led both batches to the polling station.

When asked to tell the Court the distance between Nii Lantey's house and the polling station, Abubakar said he could not tell. Abubakar disagreed with Counsel that when he and his colleagues went to Nii Lantey's house he (Nii Lantey) was about to leave his house. According to the Witness when they reached Nii Lantey's house, it was Fuseini Musah, who went to call him from his room.

Abubakar objected to Counsel's claim that the slips were given to them by Bansa Borkwei and not Nii Lantey.

Abubakar under cross-examination by Mr Samuel Ofori, Counsel for both Fuseini Musah and Gariba Mohammed, disagreed with the Counsel that when he was invited to the BNI he stayed there overnight. Asked about the time that he reported at the BNI Witness said he could not remember the time.

The case was adjourned to August 24.

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