Kwaw Kesse in court

Thursday, May 14-21, 2009 (Showbiz newspaper)

HAPPY Chapell, the woman who has accused Kwaw Kesse alias "Abodam" for allegedly stealing her £7,000 yesterday retracted her earlier statement that she gave the money to the accused person on January 4, 2009.
According to Happy, a former lover of Kwaw Kesse, she made a mistake when she informed the court that she handed over the money to the accused person on January 5, 2009 around 11 am instead of January 4, 2009.
She had on Tuesday informed the court during her evidence-in-chief that the money was given to the Kwaw Kesse on January 4, 2009 but explained at the High Court's sitting in Accra yesterday that she rather arrived in the country on January 4, 2009.
Answering questions under cross examination from counsel for the accused person, Naa Odofoley Nortey, Happy told the court that Kwaw Kesse and his friend picked her up at the airport when she arrived from the United Kingdom on January 4, 2009.
She further stated that the accused person drove her to a hotel at Spintex Road where she lodged for four weeks and three days.
Kwaw Kesse has pleaded not guilty to one count of stealing and has been granted bail in the sum of GH¢15,000.
The accused person looked indifferent and sometimes smiled during Happy’s testimony.
The following transpired between Ms Nortey and Happy:
Ms Nortey: Do you still stand by your evidence that you gave money to the accused person on January 4, 2009 as you had earlier stated to the court?
Happy: No my Lord. It was on January 5, 2009.
Ms Nortey: So you were not truthful to the court?
Happy: I am no longer relying on that my Lord.
Ms Nortey: Who picked you at the airport?
Happy: The accused person and his friend.
Ms Nortey: Do you still stand by your evidence that you arrived on January 4, 2009 and went immediately into the hotel (Ms Nortey asked her that question in reference to a hotel bill which said Happy had checked in on January 5, 2009 and not January 4, 2009 as she (Happy) had stated in court.)
Happy: Yes my Lord.
Ms Nortey: Whose name is on that hotel bill.
Happy: It is my name but I did not book in. (The prosecution had objected to the tendering of the hotel bill in evidence but the objection was overruled).
Ms Nortey: What was the stage of your building project when you allegedly gave the money to the accused person?
Happy: Foundation stage. (She also explained that she gave the money to Kwaw Kesse because he was her lover).
Happy informed the court that she visited Ghana one and half years ago but could not recall the exact date she arrived or left because " I always came in a rush and left in a rush."
She, however, said she lived in the country for three months and further admitted sleeping with the accused person during her visit one and a half years ago.
The witness informed the court that she did not declare the £7,000 at the airport as was required by law adding that she arrived with £7,380 out of which she used £380 as pocket money.
Hearing continues on Thursday, May 28, 2009.