"I did not receive the severed head of Ya Na" - Witness

Accra, July 9, GNA - An unusually large crowd besieged the Accra High Court trying two persons charged with the murder of Ya-Na Yakubu Andani, Paramount Chief of Dagbon Traditional Area on Wednesday. By the time proceedings began at 1145 hours the courtroom was full with some people sitting on the floor.

The first Defence Witness, Iddrisu Iddi, Ex-Zalankulana of Dagbon told the court that he did receive the severed head of Ya-Na Andani.

The Ex-Zalankulana, who was led in his evidence by Nana Obiri Yeboah, Counsel for the accused persons, said further that he did not recite any incantations over the head. Yidana Sugri and Iddrisu Gyanfo, both farmers, are charged with conspiracy to commit murder and murder of Ya-Na Andani. They have earlier denied the charges at the court presided over by Mr Justice Yaw Appau.

The Ex-Zalankulana said he knew Sugri and Gyanfo since their infancy and that, their fathers used to visit his house with them, but on March 27, 2002, he did not see any of the accused persons. He said he knew the Bolin Lana with whom he lived in the same Palace, saying on March 27, 2002, a lot of people came to the Palace because there was the firing of guns at the Ya Na's Palace. He said there were also rumours that the Ya Na was going to behead the Bolin Lana.
The Ex-Zalankulana said as the opposing faction advanced towards the Bolin Lana's Palace, the Abudus prevented the Andanis with whatever implement they had at their disposal.

Witness explained: "If someone attacks you and you want to defend yourself, you simply use whatever implement that you have. This could be a gun or a knife."

During a cross-examination by Mr Anthony Gyambiby, Principal State Attorney, the Ex-Zalankulana said he heard the news of the death of the Ya Na on a radio in his house. Witness said that there was a counter announcement on the radio by Mr Ibrahim Mahama, a Tamale-based Legal Practitioner, that the Ya Na was not dead. Witness insisted that he knew the two accused persons when they were kids but he could not tell if they also remembered him. He was emphatic: "I did not see Sugri and Gyanfo during the violent hostilities." The Ex-Zalankulana disagreed with the Prosecution that Gyanfo went to the Bolin Lana's Palace with the head of the Ya Na Yakubu, which was on a spear for him to recite incantations on over it.

Mr Mahamadu Abdulai, an Environmental Health Officer, who was the Second Defence Witness, told the court that on the day of the incident, he did not drag the mutilated body of the Ya Na. Led in evidence by Nana Boahen, Mr Abdulai, who is the former Presiding Member of the Yendi District Assembly, denied that he and his brother, Sanni Tuse tried to burn the Ya-Na Andani's body with lorry tyres.

Mr Abdulai, alias "Samansaman", said on that day he was sick and did not go to the town, while his brother was in Tamale. During cross-examination by Mr Gyambiby, the Witness said he was aware of the chieftaincy dispute between the two factions, but he did not support it. He said he used his position as the Presiding Member to try to settle the dispute by writing a letter to Ya-Na Andani.

Before adjourning the case to Thursday, the trial judge appealed to the two factions to help maintain peace in the area. He said peace was the most essential ingredient that promoted progress and development, and that they should let the "bygones be bygones."

Accra, July 9, GNA - An unusually large crowd besieged the Accra High Court trying two persons charged with the murder of Ya-Na Yakubu Andani, Paramount Chief of Dagbon Traditional Area on Wednesday. By the time proceedings began at 1145 hours the courtroom was full with some people sitting on the floor.

The first Defence Witness, Iddrisu Iddi, Ex-Zalankulana of Dagbon told the court that he did receive the severed head of Ya-Na Andani.

The Ex-Zalankulana, who was led in his evidence by Nana Obiri Yeboah, Counsel for the accused persons, said further that he did not recite any incantations over the head. Yidana Sugri and Iddrisu Gyanfo, both farmers, are charged with conspiracy to commit murder and murder of Ya-Na Andani. They have earlier denied the charges at the court presided over by Mr Justice Yaw Appau.

The Ex-Zalankulana said he knew Sugri and Gyanfo since their infancy and that, their fathers used to visit his house with them, but on March 27, 2002, he did not see any of the accused persons. He said he knew the Bolin Lana with whom he lived in the same Palace, saying on March 27, 2002, a lot of people came to the Palace because there was the firing of guns at the Ya Na's Palace. He said there were also rumours that the Ya Na was going to behead the Bolin Lana.
The Ex-Zalankulana said as the opposing faction advanced towards the Bolin Lana's Palace, the Abudus prevented the Andanis with whatever implement they had at their disposal.

Witness explained: "If someone attacks you and you want to defend yourself, you simply use whatever implement that you have. This could be a gun or a knife."

During a cross-examination by Mr Anthony Gyambiby, Principal State Attorney, the Ex-Zalankulana said he heard the news of the death of the Ya Na on a radio in his house. Witness said that there was a counter announcement on the radio by Mr Ibrahim Mahama, a Tamale-based Legal Practitioner, that the Ya Na was not dead. Witness insisted that he knew the two accused persons when they were kids but he could not tell if they also remembered him. He was emphatic: "I did not see Sugri and Gyanfo during the violent hostilities." The Ex-Zalankulana disagreed with the Prosecution that Gyanfo went to the Bolin Lana's Palace with the head of the Ya Na Yakubu, which was on a spear for him to recite incantations on over it.

Mr Mahamadu Abdulai, an Environmental Health Officer, who was the Second Defence Witness, told the court that on the day of the incident, he did not drag the mutilated body of the Ya Na. Led in evidence by Nana Boahen, Mr Abdulai, who is the former Presiding Member of the Yendi District Assembly, denied that he and his brother, Sanni Tuse tried to burn the Ya-Na Andani's body with lorry tyres.

Mr Abdulai, alias "Samansaman", said on that day he was sick and did not go to the town, while his brother was in Tamale. During cross-examination by Mr Gyambiby, the Witness said he was aware of the chieftaincy dispute between the two factions, but he did not support it. He said he used his position as the Presiding Member to try to settle the dispute by writing a letter to Ya-Na Andani.

Before adjourning the case to Thursday, the trial judge appealed to the two factions to help maintain peace in the area. He said peace was the most essential ingredient that promoted progress and development, and that they should let the "bygones be bygones."