Court remands Ablekuma Central shooting suspect

The suspect in the Ablekuma Central electoral violence shooting incident on Monday, December 7, 2020, has been remanded into police custody by an Accra Circuit Court.

Collins Quarcoo was remanded when he appeared before the court presided over by Mr Emmanuel Essandoh on Thursday, December 17, 2020.

He is said to have shot indiscriminately on December 7, 2020 during the general election at the Ablekuma Central constituency collation centre.

Three persons including a journalist and a police officer were injured during the incident.

Quarcoo has pleaded not guilty to the charges of handling an offensive weapon and causing unlawful and intentional harm.

When he appeared before the court on Thursday, his lawyer pleaded for bail with the explanation that he is a public servant and works in the Office of the President as a national security officer who was assigned on the day of the incident.

The lawyer said the gun in question was given to him by his supervisor and that in due course, he will show to the court that he also suffered from a mob attack during the incident.

He said the mob used a cement block to hit him when he was arrested.

The prosecution did not object to the bail but the court remanded him into police custody and adjourned the case to Thursday, December 24, 2020.

The victims are still in the hospital receiving treatment.