AG drops case against Delta Force 8

The Attorney General (AG) has dropped the case against the eight members of the vigilante group, Delta Force, who were said to have aided the escape of 13 of their members.

The eight were accused of aiding the escape from lawful custody of some 13 Delta Force members who were standing trial at the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA) Circuit Court.

When the case was called Wednesday morning, Graphic Online's Donald Ato Dapatem who was in court said the prosecution informed the Kumasi Circuit Court that the Attorney General's Department has advised the police to drop the charges against the eight accused persons.

This was because, the AG after examining the docket, concluded there was no evidence to prosecute the case.

Consequently, the court presided over by Patricia Amponsah discharged the accused persons and struck out the case.

The accused persons had pleaded not guilty and were already on bail.

At the last hearing on April 18, 2017, the court granted a motion by the prosecutor to allow the AG time to study the docket following a request to have time to do so for the necessary advice.

Background

In March 2017 some members of the Delta Force vigilante group, associated to the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) stormed the Ashanti Regional Coordinating Council (ARCC) and assaulted the Regional Security Liaison Officer, Mr George Agyei, who had just been appointed to the position.

Their anger was that, they wanted President Akufo-Addo to put a different person who was their favourite in charge, hence they destroyed property at the office and assaulted Mr Agyei.

The police moved in and after investigations, arrested 13 of them, granted them police enquiry bail and later arraigned them at the KMA Circuit Court, charged with conspiracy to commit crime, assault on a public officer, causing unlawful damage and preventing a public officer from performing his lawful duties.

On the first day of their appearance, they pleaded not guilty and the court remanded them into prison custody for two weeks.

Before the security could take them into custody, their supporters created commotion at the court and aided their escape from lawful custody. They however, later handed themselves over to the police.

Case of the 8

The police later arrested the eight persons thought to have aided the escape of the 13 and charged them with disturbing a court session, resisting arrest and rescuing persons in lawful custody.

When they were arraigned, they pleaded not guilty and their lawyers argued that they were no where near the court premises on the day of the incident and that the police even arrested them at a place far away from the court premises, at Fante New Town.

Meanwhile the case of the 13 Delta Force members said to have masterminded the assault of the security liaison officer is still pending and would be called on Thursday May 18, 2017.

Writer's email: enoch.frimpong@graphic.com.gh

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