26 rioters including rival chiefs of Yong remanded into police custody

The Tamale Circuit Court has remanded into police custody 26 persons arrested in Yong Dakpemayili, near Tamale in the Norther region in connection with a chieftaincy dispute in the area.

The suspects including the two rival chiefs in the chieftaincy dispute, Chimsi Mohammed and Chimsi Fuseini were arrested on March 30, 2020 following violent clashes between their supporters in the community.

They were charged with rioting with weapons, conspiracy and causing unlawful damage when they were brought to court Tuesday, March 31, 2020 and were remanded by the court presided over by Mr Justice Twumasi Appiah.

Their pleas were not taken and they are to reappear on April 17, 2020.

Facts
Brief facts of the case are that the 26 suspects were arrested by the police on Monday, March 30, 2020 at Yong for causing unlawful damage to buildings and rioting with weapons.

The suspects included Chimsi Mohammed and Chimsi Fuseini, the two holding themselves as chiefs in Yong and were arrested following violent clashes that erupted in the community on Monday, March 30 between the two factions in the chieftaincy dispute over the construction of a new palace in the community.

One person was alleged to have been injured and some houses torched on Monday morning during the clashes.

The two factions have been fighting over the Yong skin after one side rejected a successor chief selected by the Dapkemah of Tamale, Naa Fuseini Bawa.

The police were called during the clashes and were able to restore calm to the area that also led to the arrest of the 26 suspects.