BILLS of indictment have been served on the six police officers who were indicted by the Sam Okudzeto Commission of Inquiry into the Accra Sports Stadium tragedy.

The Police Administration received the bills of indictment last Friday but the officers were duly served on Monday, December 16, 2002.Consequently, the six officers, Chief Superintendent of Police Mr Koranteng Mintah, Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Mr Frank Awuah, ASP Faakye Kumi, ASP B. B. Bakomora, ASP John Naami and ASP Frank Aryee, have been interdicted again to face trial.

The Commissioner of Police in charge of Legal/Prosecutions, Mr Sam Awortwi, who confirmed this in an interview in Accra yesterday, said committal proceedings at a Magistrate Court are expected to begin by Thursday, December 19.He said the committal proceedings form the first phase of the trial process with the main trial taking place in the High Court later.

Mr Awortwi, who is also the Director of the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) of the Ghana Police Service, explained that the committal proceedings are only a formality.He allayed the fears of the public that the police might try to interfere with the process and thereby cause a further delay or the non-trial of the officers.

He said the committal proceedings do not involve any police investigations whatsoever but the facts as contained in the bills of indictment prepared by the Attorney General?s Department.

The Director of Public Prosecutions, Mr Osafo Sampong, said the Attorney-General?s office will take over the case after the officers have been committed to trial by the magistrate court.

The Police Administration had earlier given the assurance that if the AG?s office decide to go ahead with the prosecution, it would not put any impediment in the way of the prosecutors, saying that ?the recall is without prejudice to any legal action or course of action the AG may take?.

The six officers were recalled two weeks ago by the Police Administrator because it felt that their continued interdiction was no longer necessary since investigations have been completed. It, however, said the lifting of the interdiction did not mean the six officers are not culpable.

The Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, denied knowledge of the recall of the police officers and said it would not prevent the Attorney-General?s Department from prosecuting them. He said that bills of indictment have been prepared and for the six police officers for prosecution for their alleged involvement in the May 9 Stadium tragedy.

The Chairman of the Commission of Inquiry into the Accra Sports Stadium tragedy, Mr Sam Okudzeto, described the action of the Police Administration to recall the six police officers as disturbing as far as delivery of justice is concerned.He said he was disappointed and angry with the turn of events ?because it means our efforts were wasted?.