Sekondi Nov 1, GNA - Three traders on Thursday appeared before a Sekondi District Magistrate's Court for engaging in acts tending to disturb public peace.

The traders, Kamal Abdulai, 28, Aba Mansa, 36 and Esther Mensah, 31, all pleaded not guilty and were remanded to re-appear on November 17 this year.

Prosecuting, Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Albert Deletsa, said the accused persons lived in the same area at Effiakuma. He said Abdulai was a member of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) while Mansa and Mensah who were sisters, were affiliated with the New Patriotic Party (NPP).

ASP Deletsa said there was a political grudge between Abdulai and an aunt of the two other accused persons and they had been casting insinuation at each other.

He said at about 7.45 a.m. on October 19 this year, Abdulai was returning home after a football match in his NDC T-shirt and a cap in NDC colours.

ASP Deletsa said an unidentified NDC supporter shouted the slogan of the party "Hei!" and a certain man in NPP T-shirt behind him responded "Abodam".

He said Abdulai and the NPP supporter joked and departed peacefully in front of the house of Mansa and Mensah who were then indoors.

ASP Deletsa said while Abdulai was buying "Wakyi" nearby, he overheard Mansa telling Mensah "Have you heard Kamal. He is insulting NPP supporters".

He said, later Abdulai confronted Mansa about what he heard and this annoyed Mansa who tore Abdulai's NDC T-shirt into pieces. ASP Deletsa said Abdulai used a stone and inflicted a wound on Mansa's head and Mensah used a kitchen stool to hit the head of Abdulai. He said after the fighting, the accused persons reported the matter to the Police and were issued medical report forms to go to hospital for treatment. ASP Delesta said the accused persons were charged with the offence after further investigations.