Djentuhs bonded to be of good behaviour

Accra (Greater Accra) 30 August 2000 - An Accra Circuit Tribunal on Wednesday bonded Mr Anthony Mensah Djentuh, a Public Servant and Mrs Maria O'Sullivan Djentuh, an Estate Developer, to be of good behaviour for 12 months or in default go to prison for six months.

The couple, at the last sitting on August 15, was convicted on assault of public officer and offensive conduct and remanded in custody for sentence.

The tribunal had found Mensah Djentuh guilty on assault of public officer while his wife was acquitted and discharged on that charge. It acquitted and discharged both of them on the charge of deceit of public officer. The couple pleaded not guilty to all the charges.

The Djentuhs are the parents of Selassie, the former boyfriend of Ezanetor Rawlings, the first daughter of the First Family.

The prosecution had told the tribunal that they went to the Castle to look for their missing son who, they claimed, had been abducted by armed personnel. It said they assaulted a soldier who was on duty.

Passing sentence, Mrs Elizabeth Anderson Yebuah said that the Tribunal took into consideration the nature of the offence, the offenders and society's interest in the case before arriving at the sentence.

"Though the couple had the right to make noise over their missing son, they were not supposed to behave in such an offensive way or assault anybody..."

Selassie has applied for political asylum in the United Kingdom saying his life is in danger.

An enthusiastic crowd that thronged the Tribunal cheered the couple when sentence was passed. While some of them hugged the Djentuhs amidst tears of joy, others poured talcum powder on them to congratulate them on their release from remand at the James

Fort Prisons.

A Joy FM, report says busloads of people from Kpando, the hometown of the Djentuhs were in court to show their support.

The Djentuh affair has been making newspaper headlines for sometime now but intensified when the couple were remanded in prison for two weeks for sentencing. Some newspapers have condemned their two-week incarceration.

The Djentuh affair generated a lot of local and international media attention due to the relationship between Selassie and Ezanetor.

The couple told pressmen that they never regretted being remanded in custody but criticised the poor state of the prison, saying that, "it is a big shame for human beings to be kept in such a place, which is not even suitable for pigs".

Mr Djentuh, who said he was happy, even during his stay in prison, gave glory to God. "I took the opportunity to preach and share the gospel with the brethren at the prisons, ... I believe out of injustice, justice has come out."

Mrs Djentuh said that, "we have been cheated". She said Selassie "is untouchable, because he is been soaked in the blood of Jesus."

Police Detective Chief Inspector Edward Antwi had earlier told the tribunal that on January 15 the accused persons went to the Castle in search of their son and some workers of Mrs Djentuh, who were being held for interrogation.

Chief Inspector Antwi said L/Cpl Stephen Tamakloe, a soldier attached to the Castle approached the Djentuhs and asked what they wanted. However, they took offence and shouted at the soldier.

According to the prosecutor, the couple used abusive language like "I will bring you and your foolish President to book...I will set the Castle on fire, and you and your leader will come back on the street."

The prosecutor said the accused persons then attacked the complainant, held his neck and "twisted it until witnesses in the case intervened and rescued him".

He said from the Castle the accused persons went to the Airport Police Station and reported that their son had been abducted. They also caused an announcement to be made by Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC) radio about the alleged abduction.

Chief Inspector Antwi said at the time that such announcement was made the Djentuhs knew that their son and the workers were being held at the Castle for questioning.