Court gives the police last chance to produce bill of indictment on soldiers

Accra, Feb. 4, GNA - The Police were offered the last chance on Thursday to produce a bill of indictment and summary of evidence on the f= ive soldiers allegedly connected in the murder of a bank official,Mr. Rokko Frimpong.

The Osu District Magistrate's Court said it would not hesitate to decide on the fate of the soldiers at the next adjourned date. At the court's sitting, Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Patrick A. Morkeh, prosecuting, said results of the forensic examination of the bullet allegedly used on Mr. Frimpong, now deceased, were not ready. Prosecution therefore sought for an adjournment. The soldiers are Sergeant Michael Arthur, Sergeant Richard Somuah, Sergeant Lamptey Hazel, Corporal Charles Ankumah and Corporal Emmanuel Antwi.

The court which is yet to take their pleas, remanded them into polic= e custody. Mr. Joe Aboagye-Debrah, defense counsel, registered his displeasure over prosecution's submissions describing them as patent falsehood. He said there were two sets of groups being tried over the murder of=

Mr.Frimpong adding, the numerous adjournment was killing the spirits of t= he accused persons. Mr. Aboagye-Debrah appealed to the police to commence the trial sinc= e their charges had been read out to them. He said the Police were only committing perjury and their action als= o constituted gross disrespect to the court. Quoting Article 14 (4) of the 1992 Constitution, defense counsel sai= d the court had the power to release the accused persons unconditionally or=

upon a reasonable condition. He explained that the constitution superseded any Act of the land an= d urged the court to admit them on conditions of the Article 14 (4) of the Constitution. The court after hearing both defense and prosecution adjourned the matter to February 19. At its sitting on January 22, the court ordered the Police to furnis= h it with bill of indictment and summary of evidence on the accused persons= .. The police was also to provide the court with the results of forensi= c examination of the bullets used on the deceased, Mr. Frimpong, Deputy Managing Director of GCB. On December 15, 2009 the five soldiers were discharged by the Human Rights Court, but were re-arrested and put before a lower court on charge= s of conspiracy and murder three days later. Prosecution alleged that the accused persons were instructed by thei= r officers to eliminate Mr. Frimpong who had uncovered rot involving some government officials. It said if the deceased was not eliminated, those government officia= ls would be in trouble, as a result, the accused persons held several meetin= gs and eventually carried out their operation. The prosecution said for their reward, the accused were allegedly gi= ven between GH¢5,000 and GH¢15,000. It said four of the accused persons had admitted taking the money bu= t did not participate in the murder while the remaining one denied taking i= t.