KOJO's DIARY

KOJO's DIARY
THE husband of Rosita Dosoo, the Cuban Secretary of the fugitive, David Duarte Vasquez, yesterday told the Fast Track Court that he was given a letter by Vasquez to be given to immigration officials at the airport to grant entry visa to Joel Meija Duarte Moises, his cousin.
Mr Noble Bright Dosoo said when he went to the airport he met Moises and after paying the required fee of $100, he was granted the visa which enabled him to stay in the country for 15 days.
He was testifying in the case in which Moises, also known as Joel Melia, a machine operator, is standing trial with Italo Gervasio Rosero Castillo, alias Cabeza Castina, a businessman. They are alleged to have imported 588 kilogrammes of cocaine into the country.
David Duarte Vasquez, a third accomplice, is on the run.
The accused persons do not speak English and their trial is being facilitated through a Spanish interpreter.
They have pleaded not guilty to four counts of conspiracy, illegal importation of narcotic drugs and possessing narcotic drugs without authority.
They were arrested in a house at East Legon, Accra, on November 24, 2005, while allegedly preparing the substance.
Mr Dosoo stated that the last time he saw Moises was when he led him through the final exit point at the airport where he met Vasquez and handed Moises over to him.
Led in evidence by Ms Gertrude Aikins, the acting Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), the witness said he became associated with Compinchex, a company owned by Vasquez through his wife, who was Vasquez’s secretary.
According to him, he went to visit his wife in her office one day when he met Vasquez who told him that he had given an assignment to his wife but since he was around it would be better he did that for him.
Following that meeting, Mr Dosoo said Vasquez gave him a letter which he took to the airport to secure an entry visa for Moises who he knew as a cousin of Vasquez.
He said at the airport, he told immigration officials that he was expecting someone he did not know but whose name he had.
The witness said the officials directed him to a certain room where entry visa was supposed to be issued and while there he found Moises seated before an immigration officer.
He said after he had told the officer about his mission, the officer told him that the person he was talking about was the one seated in front of him.
He said Moises was asked to pay $100, which he did and he was granted the visa which indicated that Moises could stay in the country for 15 days.
“After that I then accompanied him to the final exit point together with his baggage and handed him over to his cousin and parted company”, he stated and added that at that time Moises had his passport in his breast pocket.
Mr Dosoo said that was the first time that anybody had been brought into the country under such a circumstance by Compinchex.
Counsel for the accused persons, Mr Kwabla Senanu, did not cross-examine the witness.
Earlier, a police detective, Corporal Emmanuel Commey, who was part of the police team which effected the arrest of the accused persons on November 24, 2005, testified.
The court adjourned the hearing to February 7, 2007 and directed the registrar to write to the Institute of Languages to engage the services of another Spanish interpreter.