Kwei Quartey - Murder at Cape Three Points

“Yes, yes, carry on,” DeGraft said.

“When did you first meet Mr. Tetteh?” Dawson asked Calmy-Rey.

“About three years ago when he took over as CEO of Goilco.”

“Did you have much contact with him over that period until his murder?”

“I make it a point to keep in touch with our partners,” Calmy-Rey said, nodding, “even if it’s just to say hello or meet for a drink. It’s important.”

“Why is that?”

“We don’t work with companies; we work with people. It’s our culture at Malgam to maintain close relationships. As the CEO, I set that tone.”

“That’s laudable. Did you have occasion to visit Mr. Tetteh at his residence in Accra?”

Calmy-Rey shook his head. “No, we always met at restaurants and so on.”

“When was the last time you saw him?”

“Last April or May-about two months before his untimely death.”

Dawson looked down at his notes and then up again. “You didn’t see him in June at all?”

“Not that I recall.”

Dawson nodded. “Okay.”

He jotted a couple items in shorthand on a plain sheet of paper in the docket. He didn’t shield his notes from Calmy-Rey or DeGraft, but his handwriting was almost illegible in any case.

“Mr. Calmy-Rey,” Dawson continued, “when and where did you acquire your Sphinx pistol?”

“I bought it in Switzerland several years ago. It’s a classic.”

“I see,” Dawson said with interest. “I understand gun sales and ownership are legal there.”

Calmy-Rey smiled tolerantly. “Highly legal. The Swiss people are the country’s militia. Gun ownership and training are required.”

“So, of course you’re very familiar with the use of all kinds of guns, including handguns like your Sphinx,” Dawson said, leaning forward slightly.

“Absolutely.”

“You’re a dual citizen of Switzerland and the UK, correct?”

“Yes, although I spend more time in the UK.”

“What is the reason for having the Sphinx here in Ghana?”

“As I believe I told you at the house yesterday,” Calmy-Rey said with some impatience, “for self-defense, Inspector. I don’t intend to suffer at the hands of thugs attacking me in my home or my car, and on occasions when my wife and children visit me, I make every effort to protect them against marauders.”

“Have you ever fired your weapon here in Ghana for any reason?”

“No,” he said, quietly.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t hear you.”

“I said no, I haven’t.”

Dawson took his time writing that down in quotation marks.

“This morning,” he said, putting his pen down, “I was thinking how Mr. Tetteh could have been in many ways like your father.”

Calmy-Rey pulled back as if being prodded in the face with a garden fork. “Like my father? Why do you say that?”

“From what I’ve read, he and your father shared a stubborn commitment to honesty and transparency in all your business dealings.”

“Yes, I suppose you could say so.”

“Honesty, integrity, making sure everything was above board. In fact, wasn’t your father, Ulysses, known as the humanitarian capitalist?”

“Yes, he was,” Calmy-Rey said.

“Inspector Dawson,” DeGraft chimed in, sitting up to his full height, “this banter is a waste of time. Please get on with something more substantive.”

“Sorry, I digressed a little bit. At any point in your career, Mr. Calmy-Rey, did your father ever suggest to you that you had been dishonest?”

Calmy-Rey’s face showed a flash of irritation. “No, why? What does this have to do with anything?”

He glanced at DeGraft, who said sharply, “ Please , Inspector. What is all this?”

“Did Mr. Tetteh?”

“Did Mr. Tetteh what, Inspector?” DeGraft snapped. “What are you asking Mr. Calmy-Rey?”

“Did Mr. Tetteh ever accuse you of dishonesty?”

“No,” Calmy-Rey said angrily. “He didn’t.”

“Did you know of any plans he had to do so?”

“No, Inspector.”

“Let me put it another way. Was he going to make an announcement about Malgam Oil falling below ethical standards or engaging in corrupt practices?”

“Not only is that ridiculous,” Calmy-Rey said fiercely, “I don’t see how Mr. Tetteh would have made that kind of allegation.”

“You don’t know of any document with such accusations, then?”

Dawson saw that Calmy-Rey was gripping the edge of the table. “ No , Inspector,” he said sharply. “No, I don’t.”

“I’d like a moment alone with my client, Mr. Dawson. Please excuse us.”

“Of course.” Dawson got up. “Let me know when you’re ready to continue.”

He left the room and went out onto the porch of the little police station. Calmy-Rey had been getting a little agitated, and DeGraft was no doubt advising him to play it cool and not to lose his temper. Many factors affected a suspect’s ability to withstand an interrogation: the inherent stress, lack of sleep, the discomfort of the cell. Calmy-Rey had undoubtedly never experienced anything as unpleasant as a jail.

The desk sergeant came out to the porch.

“Please, Inspector Dawson. They are ready.”

He rejoined DeGraft and Calmy-Rey, who had a determined smile on his face.

“Are you okay?” Dawson asked, taking his seat.

“Just fine,” DeGraft said. “Please, try to be as straightforward and forthcoming as possible, Inspector Dawson. Mr. Calmy-Rey has important affairs to attend to.”

“Of course, of course,” Dawson said, elbows on the table and fingers interlaced. “Mr. Calmy-Rey, what would be the consequences for you and your company if Mr. Tetteh were to make an accusation in the papers both here and in the UK that Malgam Oil was a corrupt, unethical company in bed with several corrupt, unethical government officials?”

“But Malgam Oil is simply not a corrupt company,” Calmy-Rey said with forced lightness.

“Do you know Terence Amihere, the Minister of Energy?”

“How would I not know the minister who is the most central government official the oil industry deals with?” Calmy-Rey said haughtily.

“What was your relationship with him? Cordial, friendly?”

“Yes, all of that.”

“If I were to say that you arranged for Malgam Oil to pay him two hundred thousand dollars in return for his agreement that the oil companies should not be compelled to compensate fishermen for any oil spills, what would you say?”

“Now just you listen to me, Inspector Dawson,” Calmy-Rey said, raising his index finger. “I’ve held back all along, but I can’t anymore. You are a small fry around here. Understand? Rank of inspector? Insignificant. You’re nothing. I know many people in the high echelons of the government, and you’re going to be very sorry when they hear about this kind of slanderous language you’re leveling at me.”

“I have something I would like you to read and comment on,” Dawson said, taking out a copy of Lawrence Tetteh’s letter. Calmy-Rey frowned as he warily took the three sheets of paper and began to read them with DeGraft.

“This is nonsense,” Calmy-Rey, sliding the letter back to Dawson. “Utter nonsense.”

“Where did you get this?” DeGraft demanded.

“From a pen drive belonging to Lawrence Tetteh. He told Charles that he was about to reveal this corruption scheme along the lines you see in this letter. I put it to you that Charles reported this to you.”

Looking mystified, Calmy-Rey shook his head. “Not that I recall.”

“Your trusted director of corporate affairs wouldn’t immediately let you know about something as scandalous as this?” Dawson challenged. “That doesn’t make sense.”

“Okay, yes-he did mention something about it.”