Nine accused persons sentenced to 30 penalty units

Tamale, May 17, GNA- A Tamale Circuit Court presided over by Mrs. Agelina Mensah Honiah, on Wednesday sentenced and convicted nine accused persons to 30 penalty units (3.6 million cedis each) or in default, serve two months imprisonment.

The accused persons who were convicted for threat of death are Chimbar Patrick, a teacher, Emmanuel Louk, Bawah Azumah, Kuturin Konlan, Bolintik Kwabena, Kombat Madinka, Kanatim Nyakpaab, Dujing Patkom Kuru and Joe Bingon all farmers.

Assistant State Attorney, Mr. Salia Abdul-Quddus, prosecuting, told the court that the complainant, Naagatin Kanwaan, a farmer comes from the same clan with the accused persons and also resides in Bunkpurugu with them in the Bunkpurugu Yunyo District of the Northern Region. The prosecution said one Yoagaria Sakoalia, nephew of Kanwaan fell sick on March 30th and the complainant was accused of bewitching him. He said the accused persons threatened the complainant that if Sakoalia dies, they would kill him and bury him alongside his nephew. The prosecuting said the next day the Sakoalia died at the Nalerigu Baptist Medical Centre and when the news of his death reached Bunkpurugu, the accused persons became infuriated and set the complainant's house ablaze but the fire was put off.

The Assistant State Attorney said when the complainant and his son Jacob Tong went to his brother's house to mourn with him, the accused persons drove them away with threats that they would kill and bury them with the deceased.

The prosecuting told the court the accused persons later attacked the complainant and the son, but they managed to escape to the Bunkpurugu Police for protection where they were put in custody for their own safety.

He said the accused persons followed up and demanded their release in order to met out instant justice but the police declined. The prosecution said the refusal of the police to release the two resulted in stone throwing until the police called for re-enforcement from Tamale who were able to disperse the accused persons. He told the court that this led to the burning down of the complainant and the son's house beyond repairs with properties worth millions of cedis destroyed, compelling Kanwaan and the son to take refuge at the Tamale police station to prevent the accused persons from killing them.

The Prosecutor said the complainant later went to the Gambaga police and lodged a complain and mentioned the accused persons as his assailants.

The accused persons were invited to the Gambaga police station where they were charged with threat of death and unlawful damage on the advise of the Attorney General's Department. They were later arraigned before the Tamale Circuit Court where they were convicted and sentenced for the offence.