Kennedy Agyapong 's case adjourned to October 16

The case in which Kennedy Ohene Agyapong Member of Parliament (MP) for Assin North is being charged with two counts of provocation of riot and offensive conduct was adjourned on Thursday to October 16.

When the case was called before an Accra Circuit Court, Mr. Anthony Rexford Wiredu, Principal State Attorney said the the prosecutor was not in court. After the case had been stood down for about 40 minutes, Mr. Samuel Atta Akyea, one of Agyapong’s defence counsels in his submissions to the court, sought leave to enable his client to travel outside.

The court presided over by Mr. Ebenezer Darko, however, adjourned the matter.

Agyapong has pleaded not guilty to the charges and he is on self-recognisance bail. The MP for Assin North had been hauled before four different courts on first degree felony charges for allegedly pitting Ashantis against Gas and Ewes and declaring war during the recent biometric registration exercise.

The MP has, since April 17, 2012, been put before the Adjabeng District Magistrate Court, where the magistrate declined jurisdiction; the Human Rights Court, which granted him bail; the Fast Track High Court, which was billed to commence his trial, and the Supreme Court, where the prosecution had prayed it to quash proceedings at the Fast Track High Court.

On July 4, 2012, the Supreme Court threw out the state’s application which prayed it to quash proceedings at the lower court hearing the MP’s case because, according to the state, the court lacked jurisdiction.

However, in a unanimous decision, the highest court of the land ruled that the action filed by the Attorney-General (A-G) was “unnecessary and extremely odd” because the law empowered the A-G to file a 'nolleprosequi' to discontinue the processes at the lower court.

Following the Supreme Court’s decision, the state filed a 'nolleprosequi' on July 6, 2012 to discontinue proceedings against the MP before the court, presided over by Mr. Justice Charles Quist.