A Wa High Court, presided over by Justice Abdul-Yussif Assibey, has ruled against a bail application for suspects involved in the murder of the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Royal Cozy Hills Hotel in Jurapa (Jirapa Dubai).

Luanga Bagonluri, counsel for the second and third accused persons in the case, Belinda Milla and Kweku Kumbata respectively, sought bail for the two accused persons on the condition that they remained innocent until proven guilty.

In his bail application, Bagonluri argued that the accused persons were in lawful custody and would avail themselves for trial if granted bail.

Arguing in the case of Belinda Milla, Bagonluri said that if granted bail, she would not interfere with the witnesses in the case. He prayed the court to take judicial notice of the case to which she was hauled before it, abetment to crime, and to grant her bail, assuring the court of her maximum cooperation throughout the trial.

The defense counsel also argued that admitting his clients to bail would amount to a fair trial considering the legal vacation due in August and the case likely not to resume until October 2024.

This was the third time Bagonluri had sought bail for the accused persons, but all attempts had been unsuccessful.

However, the prosecution, led by Mr. Saeed Abdul Shakuur, a Principal State Attorney in the Upper West Region, argued that considering the gravity of the offense, which was abetment to murder, and the fact that she could suffer life imprisonment if found guilty, she would abscond trial if granted bail.

The prosecution told the court that the grounds on which the defense counsel was seeking bail were the same conditions under which the previous requests were denied and prayed the court to, once again, deny the accused persons’ bail.

The prosecution further argued that the fact that the court was going on a legal vacation did not warrant the suspects being granted bail if they did not merit it per the dictates of the law.

The prosecution thus prayed the court to keep the accused persons in remand throughout the trial in the interest of justice.

Delivering the judgment on the bail application for the second accused person, Belinda Milla, Justice Assibey said that considering the nature, gravity, and severity of the offense, the second accused person would not appear before the court for trial if granted bail.

He assured the prosecution and defense counsel of an expeditious trial of the case and proposed a request for a warrant for the trial of the case to continue even during the legal vacation period.

However, counsels for Elisha Mahama, the first person in the case, Clement Eledi, and the second and third accused persons, Luanga, opposed the proposed warrant, arguing that it was not a special trial case and there was no need for a speedy trial. Eledi argued that he needed the legal holiday to rest and to resume to continue cases.

The case has been adjourned to July 26, 2024, for a hearing.