Nana Darkwa and I.C. Quaye nearly attacked

Accra, March 3, GNA - The intervention of policemen at the Cocoa Affairs Circuit Court on Wednesday saved Sheikh Ibrahim Kojo Quaye, Membe= r of Parliament for Ayawaso Central, and Nana Darkwa Baafi, New Patriotic Party (NPP) activist, from an irate group believed to be sympathizers of the National Democratic Congress (NDC). Nana Darkwa alleged during a Top Radio panel discussion in Accra recently that former President Jerry Rawlings set fire to his own residen= ce at Ridge. The crowd, some of whom spoke Hausa and other languages, threatened that they would face the NPP with violence and show them that they were i= n power and not the NPP. Some even threatened to smash the windscreen of the Mercedes Benz ca= r Sheikh Quaye used when he came to Court to support Nana Darkwa, a member of his constituency. The incident took place after the presiding judge, Mr. C.K. Wilson, adjourned the matter to March 15, 2010 because the prosecution in the cas= e was not present in Court.

When Nana Darkwa, in the company of his lawyers, Mr Kwame Boafo Akuf= fo and Mr Mike Ocquaye Jr., got out of the courtroom and Sheikh Quaye was heading to his car, the crowd started heckling Sheikh Quaye and Nana Dark= wa.

Some policemen who were on duty at the court intervened and shielded both Sheikh Quaye and Nana Darkwa from the crowd. They pushed Sheikh Quay= e into the back seat of his car while Nana Darkwa was guarded into one of t= he courtrooms for safety.

During the proceedings earlier, Mr David Annan, a lawyer, announced to the court that he was holding brief for Mr Kofi Adams, Special Assistant to former President Rawlings and Deputy NDC General Secretary, who is a complainant in the case. However, Mr Akuffo rejected the claims of Mr Annan, saying that he had no locus standing in the matter and that he was also not the prosecutor in the case. He asked the court to stop Mr Annan from interfering in the case. However, Mr Akuffo's words did not go down well with Mr Annan and resulted in hot exchanges between the two.

The judge intervened in the matter to calm nerves and said he had the discretion as to who should be allowed to speak on the matter. He also invited the lawyers for both the complainant and defence to meet him in his chambers after the adjournment though, according to him, the discussion was not related to the current matter. The facts of the case are that Nana Darkwa was arrested by personnel=

from the Greater Accra Regional Police Headquarters following a panel discussion at the radio station, after a complaint by Mr Kofi Adams, Spokesperson for Former President Rawlings. During the discussion, Nana Darkwah was alleged to have stated that "former President Rawlings intentionally caused the fire outbreak to comp= el the State to relocate him and his family". The statement angered many listeners of the programme compelling som= e of them to rush to the precincts of the radio station. The Police rushed to the station to protect lives and property durin= g which the panelists were whisked away to safety. When Nana Darkwa was interrogated at the Greater Accra Regional Poli= ce Headquarters, he admitted the offence and asked for forgiveness.