Tamale, June 9, GNA - A District Magistrate's Court in Tamale on Thursday committed three military personnel to stand trial at a High Court for their alleged involvement in the murder of Alhaji Issah Mohammed, also known as Issah Mobila, former Northern Regional Chairman of the Convention People's Party (CPP).
The Court presided over by Madam Angelina Mensah-Homia, remanded Corporal Yaw Appiah, Private Eric Modzaka and Private Seth Goka, all stationed at the Sixth Battalion of Infantry, Kamina Barracks in Tamale, in military custody to appear before a Tamale High Court on July 7. Their plea was not taken.
The three were charged with conspiracy to murder and murder. Prosecuting, Mr Abdul Quddus, Assistant State Attorney, told the court that during the early hours of Thursday December 9, 2004, there was an alleged sporadic shooting at Werizhi, a Tamale suburb, where the deceased lived.
He said upon a tip-off that Alhaji Mobila had supplied arms and ammunition allegedly used by some youth in Tamale to foment trouble in the Metropolis in the aftermath of the December 2004 general election, the Northern Regional Police Command detailed policemen to arrest him at his residence.
The prosecution said the Police, however, did not find the deceased at home but saw and followed an ash BMW saloon car with registration number GR 2772 Q belonging to the deceased heading to a workshop. The Police conducted a thorough search on the car but nothing incriminating was found whereupon they escorted the vehicle driven by Abdallah Osman, a mechanic, to the Police Headquarters in Tamale. He said on the same day when the late Alhaji Mobila realised that the Police had impounded his car he went to the Northern Regional Bureau of National Investigations (BNI) in the company of one Abdul-Latif Saka-Naa, a friend to find out why his car had been impounded.
The prosecution said the BNI, however, handed over Alhaji Mobila to the Northern Regional Police Command who took him to the Police Headquarters where he was detained. The State Attorney said following allegations that supporters of the deceased were mobilising to rescue him the Regional Security Council ordered that the suspect should be taken to the Kamina Barracks to be detained there. He told the court that at about 21 hours that day, the Police received information that the deceased had collapsed and died in military custody.
The body was deposited at the Tamale Teaching Hospital mortuary and on December 17, 2004, Dr. Kofi Adomako Boateng, Chief Pathologist at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital conducted an autopsy on the body. The Pathologist's report showed that Alhaji Mobila had died from "collapse left lung, fractured ribs and severe multiple abrasions" the prosecution added.