A Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA) Circuit Court on Thursday adjourned a case in which 13 members of Delta Force, a vigilante group affiliated to the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) are standing trial for assault, to May 18, 2017.

The suspects are being prosecuted following their assault on a certain George Agyei, who had been appointed as the Ashanti Regional Security Coordinator.

The prosecutor, ACP Okyere Darko, pleaded that ample time be given them for further investigations.

Lawyer for the accused persons, Matthew Appiah, has argued that his clients are not guilty because the police have no reason to arrest them.

The presiding Judge Her Honor, Mary Nsenkyire, granted the request of the prosecutor and adjourned the case.

Background

Stoutly built members of Delta Force had previously stormed the Regional Coordinating Council and forcibly ejected Mr. Agyei because he is not a native of the Ashanti Region. It took the timely intervention of the police to save the situation and restore law and order.

The angry men had earlier destroyed some office equipment in their bid to drive out Mr Agyei.

Their action was roundly condemned by a large section of the public who called for their arrest. Less than 24 hours after the act, the leader of the group Kwadwo Bamba was arrested by the Police.

Other members were subsequently arrested and charged for the offence of conspiracy to assault and assaulting a public officer and causing unlawful damage.

On the day they were arraigned before court, the Presiding Judge remanded them into prison custody, a decision that angered their colleagues who had stormed the court premises. They eventually got their colleagues freed.