The Circuit Court in Accra presided over by His Honour Emmanuel Essandoh has granted bail in the sum of GHc100, 000 to a private security man, Bless Amedegbe, alias Don Dada Bless, 24, charged with assault on President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.

In addition to the bail sum, he is to produce two sureties, one of whom must be a public officer earning not less than GHc1000.

He was admitted to bail after his lawyer, Yaw Dankwa, moved oral application for his bail.

Counsel reminded the court about the fact that he was yet to receive the previous proceeding he requested to be able to represent his client well.

Prosecution, led by Detective Chief Sarpong, though did not oppose the bail application, said the conditions should be such that they would compel the accused person to stand trial.

He also told the court that prosecution had already filed its disclosures to the registrar of the court.

Kasapa News Court Correspondent, Muntalla Inusah, reports that there were a lot of family members in court to throw their support behind the accused person.

Case adjourned to June 10, 2020

Charges

He has been slapped with two charges of circulating false communication and assault on a public officer contrary to sections 76 (1) of the Electronic Communication Act, 2008 (Act 775) and section 205 (A) of the Criminal and Other Offences Act 1960 (Act 29) respectively.

Brief facts

The brief facts of the case as presented to the court were that the complainant is an operative of the Bureau of National Communication, National Security, whereas the accused person is a private security guard of VIP Security company and lives at Mamobi.

The prosecutor explained that during the month of April 2020, when President Nana Akufo-Addo had imposed lockdown in the Greater Accra Region and Greater Kumasi to curtail the spread of Covid-19, the accused made a video of himself and circulated same via YouTube and Whatsapp platforms, including the general public, to defy the President’s Executive Orders.

According to the prosecutor, the accused did so on the grounds that the lockdown and social distancing for Covid-19 containment was a hoax, deliberately made by the President to deceive the public and allow the telecommunications companies to install 5G networks which causes death.

“The accused”, he said, “further incited the public to rise up against His Excellency the President and to set his personal house ablaze.

“The accused, in his self-made video, again incited the public to kill any police officer executing the Covid-19 duties.

He added that on May 12, 2020, the accused person was tracked and arrested.

He admitted in his investigation caution statement to having made and circulated misleading video on his Whatsapp and YouTube platforms.

“After investigation, the accused was charged with the offences before the court.”