By Joyce Danso/ Emelia Nkrumah
Accra, Jan. 25, GNA -Three persons who were arrested for their involvement in the election disturbances during the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Youth and Women’s Congress held at Cape Coast, have been granted bail by an Accra Circuit Court.
Abdul Halid Shaibu, aka Olu, Razak Ibrahim, aka Oga and Dauda Mohammed Nazir were each granted bail in the sum of GHC 50,000 with two sureties who are to be civil servants earning not less than GHC2,000.
The sureties should be within the jurisdiction of the court.
The court presided over by Mr Samuel Bright Acquah ordered the trio to report to the police twice a week.
The three alleged vigilantes have been charged with prohibition of vigilante groups and activities.
They have pleaded not guilty.
Earlier the court retook the plea of Dauda Nazir Mohammed, who had initially pleaded guilty to a charge.
This was after the court had ruled that it erred when it allowed an uncertified interpreter to do the interpretation when the plea of Nasir Mohammed was taken.
According to the court, the prosecution would not lose anything when the plea of the accused person was retaken.
The court had set today January 25, 2023, to hand down sentence on Mohammed who had pleaded guilty.
Defence counsel Beatrice Annanfio, counsel for Mohammed argued that her client should have been given the right to counsel and the accused person should understand the plea.
According to Counsel, Mohammed did not understand the court processes and the plea was taken by a clerk of the court who was not a certified interpreter.
Mr Lanting Akpanga another lawyer in the case, informed the court that the accused persons were security men and not vigilantes.
Mr. Akpanga prayed for bail for the accused persons, saying they were not flight risk and had persons willing to stand as sureties for them.
According to the counsel, the NDC National Youth Organiser, Mr George Opare Addo was in court because the accused persons were party faithful
He recounted that the accused persons had been in custody for weeks and prayed the court to admit them to bail.
Earlier, Superintendent of Police Sylvester Asare, the prosecutor, opposed the retaking of Mohammed’s plea, saying that once the accused person had been convicted by the court, it should hand down its sentence.
Supt. Asare said the court had no authority to set aside its own conviction, adding that it was unlawful for the court to do so.
The prosecution, therefore, invited the court to hand down its sentence.
On granting bail, the prosecution left the matter to the court’s discretion.
The prosecution’s case was that the accused persons were alleged members of a vigilante group operating within the NDC.
It said on December 10, 2022, the Police received report of violent disturbances at the NDC National Youth and Women’s Congress held in Cape Coast in the Central Region.
The prosecution said on receipt of the report, the Police commenced investigations into the matter.
According to the prosecution, the Police investigation team reviewed specific video footage and declared 16 persons wanted, including the accused persons, for the alleged violence.
It said the investigation revealed that while the proceedings were ongoing at the Congress, two rival vigilante groups violently clashed, throwing stones, and clubs, among others and causing injury to some people.
The prosecution said Shaibu Ibrahim and others at large allegedly worked for the interest of George Opare Addo aka Pablo as the national Youth Organiser of the NDC.
”Similarly, it was established that Nazir Mohammed, the third accused person and others at large acted for Brogya Gyamfi and Hannah Bissiw.”
The prosecution told the court that on December 9, 2022, Shaibu and Ibrahim and others at large were allegedly transported from Tamale to Cape Coast to engage in vigilante activities to enable George Opare Addo to win the elections.
It said the accused persons were given GHC50.00 each as pocket money.
The prosecution told the court that on December 9, 2022, one of the suspects known as Jango who is currently in police custody, organised a rival group including Nazir Mohammed from Brekum and its environs to push for the interest of Hannah Bissiw and Brogya Gyamfi.
It said Police investigations also revealed that the three accused persons and others at large were lodged and fed in separate hotels in Cape Coast.
The prosecution told the Court that in December 2022, whilst the congress was ongoing, the vigilante rival groups without any provocation allegedly resorted to the use of violence, threats and intimidation and injured some persons who were later rushed to hospital for treatment.
It said investigations revealed that Shiabu and Ibrahim were given GHC250 each for their services as vigilantes at the Congress.
The prosecution said on January 6, 2023, Shaibu and Ibrahim were arrested at their hideout at Tamale and brought to Accra for investigations.
Nasir was arrested at Kintampo on January 7, 2023,
GNA