Accused's alibi is false - Investigator

Friday, May 14, 2010 (Page 3 Lead)

AN investigator yesterday described as false an alibi provided by one of the soldiers accused of murdering the former Northern Regional Chairman of the Convention People’s Party (CPP), Alhaji Issa Mobilla.
Sergeant Mensah Kpligi, who conducted investigations into the alibi, told the Accra Fast Track High Court that Private Eric Modzaka had put up false claims when he (Modzaka) stated that he had not been present when Mobilla was sent to the Kamina Barracks on December 9, 2004.
Standing trial with Modzaka is Corporal Yaw Appiah. The two have pleaded not guilty to two counts of conspiracy and murder of Alhaji Mobilla.
The third accused person, Private Seth Goka, is on the run and is being tried in absentia.
Led by a Chief State Attorney, Ms Penelope Marmattah, to give evidence, Sgt Kpligi stated that he had investigated claims by Private Modzaka that Staff Sergeant Thompson Tawawm and Warrant Officer Paul Ebu knew his whereabouts at the time of the incident.
Stating the outcome of his investigations, Sgt Kpligi said S/Sgt Tawawm did not know the whereabouts of Modzaka, although the Staff Sergeant conceded that they were both on duty on the day of the incident.
Reading out S/Sgt Tawawm’s statement to the court, the witness said S/Sgt Tawawm said he did not know the whereabouts of Modzaka between 3 p.m. and 6 p.m. that day.
With regard to WO Ebu, the witness told the court that he had been informed during the investigations that WO Ebu had gone on pension and his neighbours neither knew his current location nor his cellular phone number.
During cross-examination, counsel asked the witness why he had decided to ignore the current address of WO Ebu, which read, “Workshop Barracks, Burma Camp, Accra”, and rather chose to look for WO Ebu in Tamale when he no longer lived there, to which Sgt Kpligi replied, “I went to Tamale because that was his former station.”
Hearing continues on May 20, 2010.