Accra (Greater Accra) 25 Jan. '99

Six traders have appeared before an Accra circuit tribunal charged with assaulting the chairman of the Accra Market Traders Association and causing damage. Ashitu Quaye, Mariama Abubakar, Naady Hammond, Abena Foriwaa, Agnes Asankuma and Maxwell Williams, pleaded not guilty to both charges and each was granted 500,000 cedis bail to reappear on February eight. Mr Charles K. Nyewolema, chairman of the tribunal issued a bench warrant for the arrest of Rebecca Armah, the seventh accused, who was not in court to enter a plea. Police Inspector Emmanuel Dunyo said traders have in recent times taken the law into their own hands by displaying their wares in unauthorised places including pavements. As a result, the police undertook an operation code-named "Enough is enough" to arrest the traders. On December 15, last year, the police, accompanied by Mr Adam Nii Akwei Adotey, chairman of the association, undertook an operation at Agbogbloshie market where the accused persons were arrested for selling cassava on the pavements and their wares seized. After they had been granted police enquiring bail, they pounced on the chairman and beat him up for allegedly organising their arrest.