Land guard secures bail

Illa Ishmael an alleged land guard who collapsed after an Accra Circuit Court had remanded him into Police custody has now been granted bail.

Ishmael was admitted to bail after his lawyers had filed an application for bail and argued same out.

The court after listening to the arguments of the defence team and the prosecution, admitted Ishmael to bail in the sum of GHC100,000 with four sureties, one to be justified and that the sureties must also be in gainful employment.

Ishmael who was among a gang of 14 land guards were arrested by the Police for allegedly terrorizing residents of Pantang near Abokobi in the Greater Accra Region and brought before court.

The others are: Bashiru Abdul Latif, Christian Atsu, Ali Sulemana, Augustine Agornyo, Samuel Baah, James Okyere, Foster Nii Odoi, Mohammed Abubakari, Masawudu Sowala, Gafari Gyima, Yusif Assilfi, Aminu Musa and Emmanuel Yarbi.

They are expected to reappear on June 17 before the court presided over by Mrs Ellen Ofei Ayeh.

When they initially appeared before the court, Ishmael was remanded into Police custody whiles the other 13 were admitted to bail.

Ismael after the directive of the court collapsed but was resuscitated and provided with water to drink and thereafter, handcuffed and escorted by armed Police men into a waiting Police van.

The 14 land guards are being held on the charges of conspiracy to commit crime, prohibition of activities of lands guards and two counts of assault.

Ishmael has additionally been charged with possession of arms and ammunitions and use of narcotic drugs.

All the accused pleaded not guilty to the charges.

After a team of seven lawyers had argued for bail, the 13 were granted bail in the sum of GHC100, 000 with four sureties each. One of the sureties is to be justified.

The Court accepted the defence counsel’s suggestion that if they were unable to secure their justifications, the accused would post a GHC100,000 as security deposit.

Prosecuting Chief Superintendent of Police, Mr. Alex Odonkor, said the complainant Jonas Adu, was an employee of Jeleel Estate Developing Company, Accra. The Prosecution said all the accused persons are land guards who terrorizes people on their land sites within the vicinity.

Chief Superintendent Odonkor said on May 30, this year, the complainant and his colleagues were working on their legally acquired company’s land at Pantang when Ishmael on board an unregistered Toyota vehicle, led the other accused also on board another Toyota Hilux with registration number WR 1642-15, and an unregistered Toyota Sienna to the site.

The Prosecution said the accused attacked and assaulted Kwaku Prah, Laryea Issaka, Jelilu Spam, Fosu Emmanuel, Bright Frimpong, Yaw Boakye, Eric Asante, Samuel Kuma, Enoch Obeng and Joseph Okyere on the land without any provocation.

Chief Supt. Odonkor said in the process the Police received a distress call and proceeded to the scene.

The Prosecution said the attackers on seeing the Police rushed into the cars and escaped but they were apprehended by the youth in the area who blocked the road.

He said a search in Ishmael’s vehicle revealed AK47 Rifle with 12 rounds of ammunitions, two pistols with ammunitions, a knife and dried leaves suspected to be cannabis.

The Prosecution said additionally, two knives and three wraps of dried leaves suspected to be cannabis were found in the Toyota Hilux, while in the Toyota Sienna vehicle, a knife and a wrap of cannabis were retrieved.

Prosecution said the accused claimed they were contracted by GN Bank and Sarah Ama Forkuo Samampa Company to guard the land for them.