Crime & Punishment of Wednesday, 13 November 2013

Source: Daily Guide

Naked Assembly Members granted bail

Six assembly members, who were arrested by the Adentan Police for their alleged attempt to assassinate the Municipal Chief Executive (MCE), Nubyl Kakra Van-Lare, have been granted bail.

The other assembly members allegedly stripped naked in protest against the arrest of their colleagues.

The six, according to DSP Stephen Ahiatafu, the Adentan District Police Commander, were granted police enquiry bail that same day to report later.

The suspects are Tony Blair, Jacob Adjetey Mensah, Harrison Agbedanu, Michael Okai Dsane, Armaa Lai Botchwey and Patience Margo Tetteh.

The suspects allegedly tampered with the wheel nuts, which hold the tyres of the MCE’s official Nissan Patrol vehicle.

DSP Ahiatafu said the six men were charged for offensive conduct after they were arrested.

Three of the assembly men, upon their arrest, took the nuts from their pockets and handed them over to the police.

Even though the police commander did not give reasons why the suspects carried out the diabolic act, information available indicated that the suspects took the action because of the MCE’s refusal to append her signature for the release of their sitting allowances last Thursday at the assembly.

Tony Blair, one of the arrested assembly members, allegedly admitted boldly at the police station that they committed the crime but could not give the reasons for their actions.

The six will be paraded before the Accra Regional Commander today for further interrogation.

The assembly members have been at loggerheads with the MCE who had earlier been rejected by the assembly during the confirmation ceremony.

Attempts to have another confirmation, after she was re-nominated, ended in a fiasco as she refused to attend the ceremony.

This has heightened the mistrust between the assembly members and the MCE leading to the unscrewing of the nuts of the wheel of the official car in order to render her immobile.

The embattled MCE, Kakra Van-Lare, fingered the MP for the area, Nii Ashie Moore, as the person behind her woes.

Two assembly members were initially arrested at 5pm while four others were later arrested.

This created a chaotic situation, as the other assembly members, in solidarity with their colleagues, stripped themselves naked behind the counters.

They were, however, granted bail at 10.30pm.

The Assembly members told DAILY GUIDE that although they had voted out the MCE, she was at post drawing fuel and other allowances from the assembly.

They added that the MCE, who has refused to hand over two other vehicles to the assembly, claimed her appointment was sanctioned by the government.