Court to hear Madina riot case on Aug 13

An Accra Circuit Court will on August 13, this year, commence hearing of a case in which twenty people allegedly took part in last year’s violent demonstration in 2011, at Madina, a suburb of Accra.

The accused persons, who would be standing in the dock, were said to have gone on a demonstration to protest against the ruling of the court, on a disputed land, without the consent of the police.

They allegedly caused damage to the windscreen of three police vehicles, with registration number GP 2756, GP 2166 and GP35363, and in the process, Corporal Emmanuel Okeyre and Lance Corporal Mahama Adam were injured and were rushed to the hospital for treatment.

Accused persons are Abdul Hamid Taram, unemployed, Adam Mohammed, unemployed, Halidu Hamid, driver’s mate, Bala Camal, tailor, James Fadama, carpenter, Anas Matire, trader, Abubakar Alhassan, mason, Salifu Haridu, trader and Tahiru Kadri, driver.

The rest include Monsuro Musah, trader, Musah Abubakar, trader, Gibriru Massawoud, carpenter, Musah Mahmoud, auto electrician, Tahibu Ali, trader, Ziberim Abubakah, trader, Ibrahim Alhassan, gardener, Aminu Salifu, driver, Ernest Asare, student and Mohammed Raffi, driver.

All accused persons are each facing six counts of causing unlawful damage, two counts of assault of public officer, conspiracy, riot with weapons and unlawful assembly.

The accused person had pleaded not guilty to the offences leveled against them and are currently admitted to bail in the sum GH¢10,000 each, with two sureties.

The underlying facts are that on May 16, 2011, Rev Joseph Oduro Yeboah, the assistant headmaster of the Faith Baptist School located at Madina Zongo Junction, came to Madina police station with Mrs. Kate Osofo Oduro and Mrs. Carter Osafo, with a report that a section of the Madina community have threatened to embark on a demonstration at the school premises to protest against the court ruling on a piece of land lying adjacent to the Hollywood hotel, Madina. According to the prosecutor, DSP Kofi Blagodzi, on receiving the complaint, Chief Inspector Boadu led a team of police men to the location on observation, adding that ”On arrival it was noticed that red bands have been tied on the main gate of the school and fastened with padlocks. The police unlocked the gate for the school children to gain entry into the school”.

He noted that the Assemblyman of the area, Abdul Rahaman and other opinion leaders, were later invited to meet the Madina District Commander on May 17, 2011 at 8:00am to deliberate on the issue, as the Assemblyman was asked to advice his people not to do anything to generate violence.

The prosecutor noted that on May 17, 2011, at about 7:00am, the police was informed that the road leading to the Zongo Township had been blocked, and the demonstrators have gathered at the Zongo Junction.

According to him, the police went to the scene and requested to know if they had formerly informed the police about the demonstration, but there was no answer from them.

DSP Blagodzi said the Assemblyman arrived at the scene, when everything seemed to have calmed down, and the police had put off the fire set up by the demonstrators.

Suddenly several people emerged, throwing stones and other missiles at the police, damaging the windscreens of two police vehicles driven by two policemen, with registration number 35363G/Cpl Emmanuel Okerye and number 40249 L/Cpl Mahama Adams, who were among the team of policemen, the prosecutor told the court.

“They entered the school premises and destroyed properties belonging to the school and other individuals, while students were writing their WASSEC examination. The demonstrators marched to the Madina police station and threw missiles and stones at the police, compelling the police to call in for re-enforcement, to attend to the situation,” the prosecutor emphasized.

He said 20 suspects who were part of the demonstrators were arrested and investigations are on-going to identify and apprehend all those who are behind the violence.