The Koforidua Circuit Court ‘B’ Presided by Her Honour Mercy Adei -Kotei has admitted to bail all 26 accused herdsmen arrested by the Police Anti-Armed Robbery taskforce for the possession of arms and ammunition at Donkorkrom in the Afram Plains North District in Eastern Region.
The accused persons were provisionally charged with seven counts but only the charge of Unlawful Assembly was relied on for the plea. The Prosecution admitted errors in other charges which will be amended.
The accused persons are Sariki Iddrisu Sambo , Issak Ali ,Aliu Waale , Abubakari Mohammed , Umaro Balla, Aliu Umaro, Abubakari Ibrahim , Ibrahim Abubakari, Abdulai Madela and Usumanu Umaro Dandaade .
The rest are Abass Umaro, Waale Sindoh , Mohammed Abubakari , Amadu Issah , Umaro Bawa , Mohammed Abubakari Jamalla, Alhaji Umaro Mohammed , Mohammed Bello, Sulley Usmanu , Abass Ibrahim, Alhaji Umaro Mohammed , Usuman Umaro and Sumani Abubakari.
The facts of the matter presented by the Prosecuting officer Kwasi Opare Wiredu who is a State Attorney are that On August 29, 2021, at about 1:00 pm, the Anti Robbery operational team at Donkorkrom led by DSP Lovelace Kofi Glago in a joint exercise with personnel from the Donkorkrom Division and District upon tip-off intercepted and arrested the suspects.
They were onboard a Toyota Tacoma pick-up with registration number AW 983-20, Ford Pick Up with registration number GE 7066-11, and motor tricycle with registration number M-21-EN 635.
The taskforce retrieved one foreign pistol, three locally manufactured pistols, four single-barrel shotguns, 66 live AAA and BB cartridges, eleven 410 cartridges, ten 7.65mm ammunition,17 machetes, and two daggers.
A search was extended to the rooms of suspect Iddrisu Sambo and Issaka Ali at Donkorkrom Zongo and in one of the rooms of Idrissu Sambo, twelve (12) BB cartridges were found.
None of the accused persons was able to produce documents on the weapons and ammunition.
The prosecution, therefore, prayed the court to remand the accused persons to enable the police to complete the investigation.
The defense counsel Lawyer Alex Gyamfi argued that a child member of the Fulani community was kidnapped which the family reported the Fulani Chief who is the first accused person -Sarki Iddrisu Sambo also lodged a formal complaint at Donkorkrom Divisional Police command.
While on their way to the police station to join the police rescue the victim, the Anti Armed robbery taskforce arrested them.
He said the accused Fulani Chief and other accused persons were not in good health therefore prayed the court to grant bail to the accused persons who have spent almost 400 hours in police custody.
The court heard the defense counsel and granted a bail sum of Ghc100,000 with two sureties each.
That case has been adjourned to September 20, 2021.
Meanwhile, one of the accused persons collapsed in court and was rushed to the hospital.
Source: Ghana/Starrfm.com.gh/Kojo Ansah
