General News of Friday, 14 July 2017

Source: dailguideafrica.com

13 Delta Force members’ case adjourned again

A Kumasi Circuit Court in the Ashanti Region has adjourned the case to August 8, 2017 A Kumasi Circuit Court in the Ashanti Region has adjourned the case to August 8, 2017

A Kumasi Circuit Court in the Ashanti Region has adjourned to August 8, 2017 the case involving thirteen (13) members of pro- New Patriotic Party (NPP) vigilante group, Delta Force.

A representative for the prosecutor in the case, C/Inspt, Hannah Acheampong, pleaded with the court presided over by Her Honor Mary Nsenkyire for an adjournment because the prosecutor, ACP Okyere Darko, was on leave.

The court at a previous hearing had adjourned the case to today, July 13 because the Attorney General advised that they conduct further investigations into the case.

Background

The 13 were arrested after they stormed the office of the Ashanti Regional Security Coordinator and allegedly assaulted him in the process.

They subsequently escaped from a Kumasi Circuit Court’s custody after some of their members sparked confusion when they were arraigned and charged with conspiracy to assault a public officer and causing unlawful damage.

The 13 suspects have already been fined GHc 2,400 each, and have been made to sign a bond of good behaviour for escaping lawful custody.

Meanwhile, the fellow group members who aided their escape from court custody had the case against them controversially dropped.

Initial reports indicated that, the Attorney General directed that the case be dropped with a Principal State Attorney, ACP Okyere Darko, saying that Gloria Akuffo had instructed the Police to stop pursuing the matter because they had insufficient evidence against the accused persons.

But the government denied that it sanctioned a decision to drop the charges.

The Ministry of Information in a statement said that the Principal State Attorney in the case did not consult the Attorney General before dropping the charges against the accused.