By Joyce Danso
Accra, Aug. 1, GNA- An Accra Circuit Court has remanded a group of 23 young men for allegedly assaulting some elders of Kweiman and attacking a palace over the sale of land to a developer.
The accused persons are Gideon Amartey, aka Kitinki, Richard Amartey Mensah, Ezekiel Adjetey Adjei, Nii Anang Mameley, Mensah Ago, Michael Adjei, Amarh Amartey Kwei, Ebenezer Laryea, and Joseph Nii Mensah Anang.
The rest are Emmanuel Ago Doku, Reuben Tetteh, Samuel Armah Amartey, Isaac Mensah Lumor, Isaac Armah, Felix Adjei, Ernest Addo, Wisdom Tawiah, Amos Adjei, Isaac Afotey, Mershark Amartey and Joseph Amartey Lartea Perry.
They have been charged with conspiracy to commit crime namely assault and causing damage.
They pleaded not guilty.
Ms Adelaide Adjovu, the defence counsel, prayed for bail for her clients saying they all resided within the same vicinity would appear to stand trial.
The prosecution led by Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Evans Kesse prayed the court to remand the accused persons into police custody to assist in investigations.
DSP Kesse said the Police after granting them police enquiry bail, had to seek criminal summons to compel the accused persons to appear before the court.
The court presided over by Mrs Afia Owusua Appiah remanded them into police custody to reappear on August 9, 2023.
The prosecution said the complainant Nii Amartey Kwei III was the Chief of Kweiman in Accra.
It said in May 2023, the Chief granted a parcel of land located at Kweiman to a developer, which the youth disagreed with.
The prosecution said on July 6, 2023, the grantee and the Chief went to work on the land and in the process, the accused persons, who were allegedly armed with offensive weapons, rushed to the site and stopped the developer.
It said they also allegedly went to the Palace and attacked four elders with cutlasses, wood and metallic objects.
The prosecution said the accused persons destroyed 12 plastic chairs and a table, all valued GHC800.
It said a report was made to the Police and the accused persons were arrested and police medical forms were issued to the four complainants – Ibrahim Anum, Benjamin Amartey, Joshua Odai, Francis Mensah to seek medical attention.
It said when the medical report forms were submitted to the Police it confirmed that the complainants had been assaulted.
GNA