Ransacking of NPP headquarters:Court adjourns case to next year
The Accra Circuit Court last Tuesday adjourned the case in which 11 people are standing trial for allegedly ransacking the national headquarters of the New Patriotic Party (NPP).
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The court, presided over by Ms Ruby Naa Adjeley, set January 11, 12 and 13, 2016 for the hearing of the case. Both parties to the case were present.
The accused persons have all pleaded not guilty to the charges of unlawful entry, being on the premises for unlawful purpose and causing unlawful damage.
They are Bismark Osei Danso, Ali Iddris, Razak Ebenezer Aduful, Abdulai Wudu, Kwame Adu Annan and Nii Teiko Ayi-Bontey.
The rest are Michael Agoha, Shamzu Dinni, Obed Yawson, Rakia Ali Mohammed and Ben Okyere.
Bail
On November 25, 2015, the court granted bail to all the accused persons after defence counsel had prayed it to admit them to bail, contending that they were NPP members who had gone to the headquarters with the intention of meeting the executives to discuss how best to restore unity in the party.
The court, presided over by Ms Abena Oppong Adjin Doku, upheld the plea and admitted them to bail in the sum of GH¢10,000 each, with two sureties.
The court also ordered them to sign bonds to be of good behaviour or in default serve prison terms of three months.
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Background
The facts of the case, as presented by Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Mr Ibraham Annor, are that the police received intelligence reports on November 23, 2015 that some soldiers had invaded the headquarters of the NPP at Asylum Down in Accra and had caused damage to property.
He said the police rushed to the scene and one of the accused, Danso, a retired soldier, together with 10 others, was arrested.
He said they were sent to the Accra Regional Police Headquarters and subsequently to the Headquarters of the Criminal Investigations Department (CID).
DSP Annor said during investigations, and in his caution statement, Danso stated that he mobilised eight other retired military men living at Kakasunanka, near Michel Camp, dressed them in military uniforms and took them to the NPP Head Office.
He stated that the retired soldiers indicated that they had picked up information that the “Invisible Forces” providing security at the headquarters wielded weapons and they had to disarm them before the invaders could organise a peaceful meeting with the executives and the suspended National Chairman, Mr Paul Afoko.
The prosecutor said in addition to the ex-servicemen, Danso mobilised 480 NPP supporters from across the country to support a press conference after the meeting.
However, DSP Annor told the court that after they got to the headquarters, the retired soldiers took the Invisible Forces hostage, locked them up in the security room, entered the premises and returned with three SMG guns loaded with 36 live ammunition and three machetes.
They informed the caretakers and the security that they found the weapons near the generating set behind the building.
The retired soldiers said a member of the Invincible Forces, Moro Sulemana, was the custodian of the weapons.
The prosecutor said the security man denied ownership of the weapons, a claim which the police were still investigating.
He said Sulemana, in his caution statement, denied the allegation, claiming he was a porter who only went to the headquarters of the party to sleep during the night.
He added in his statement that later in the night, three buses loaded with youth in red T-shirts arrived at the headquarters, were allowed in and they vandalised property at the place.
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