15 persons charge with election fraud

Sunyani, Dec. 12 GNA - A circuit court in Techiman on Wednesday granted a total of GH¢15,000 bail to 15 persons charged with three counts of possession of ammunition, possessing implements intended for unlawful entry and preparation to commit crime on Election Day. The accused, who were arrested at Seikwa in Tain District of Brong Ahafo, all pleaded not guilty to the three counts and would re-appear on January 14, 2009. The court was presided over by Mr Michael Cudjoe Ntumy.

The suspects according to the police were arrested by the Tain District Election Police Patrol Team upon a tip off. The police arrested them using a pick up vehicle and were carrying offensive implements and two containers one of which was suspected to contain chloroform and the other pepper spray. A further search on the vehicle found a metal hammer, a metal bar and samples of the presidential ballot papers, which had already been thumb-printed for National Democratic Congress's Professor Evans Atta Mills.

A police source named some of the suspects as Kofi Paul, 29, Kwaku Kosa, 27, Yaw Domfeh, 22, John Obour, 21, Tawiah Francis and Anthony Agyemang, 29. The driver of the Pick-Up told the police that he gave a lift to the suspects and none of the suspects claimed ownership of the items found in the vehicle.