Breman Asikuma, July 6, GNA - Nana Kweku Essoun II, Chief of Bedum and his elders have praised the Breman Asikuma Magistrate Court presided over by Mr Akwasi Asiedu for punishing communal labour defaulters. Speaking at a sitting of the court on Friday to hear the case of four such defaulters from Bedum, Nana Kweku Essoun said the people have now become highly responsive to communal labour to construct a toilet to improve sanitation in the community.

The accused persons were remanded in custody by the court on June 18, 2004, when they appeared before it on charges of failing to attend communal labour.

The four accused, Atta Panyin, Attah Kakra, Abbam and Kwasi Awuah, were not in court due to circumstances beyond the control of the Police. The court had issued a bench warrant for the arrest of two others Yaw Baah and Owusumaame now at large charged for the same offence. Nana Bedum told the GNA that on April 27, the six people defaulted in taking part in communal labour and refused to pay 10,000 cedis fine each imposed on them by the Chief and his elders leading to a report to the Police.

The four accused were arrested but the two other defaulters went into hiding.