Parliamentary candidate, four others granted bail for breaching coronavirus protocols

An independent Parliamentary aspirant for Assin South and four others who were allegedly holding a rally at Assin Aroso without regards to COVID-19 protocols were on Monday granted bail in the sum of GHC 100,000.00 by a Circuit Court in Cape Coast.

Mr. Joseph Kofi Damtse and the four others were arrested by the Assin-Fosu police for holding the rally without regards to the COVID-19 protocols.

In the dock with him, were Mr Daniel Owusu, a trader, Mr Frank Gyamfi, a businessman, Mr Ransford Kwabena Adu, teacher and Emmanuel Asamoah Boahen, a public servant, who were granted GHC20,000.00 bail each with two sureties, one to be a government worker earning not less than GHC1,500.00.

All the accused persons pleaded not guilty to the four charges of conspiracy to commit crime, failing to notify the police of special event, failing to comply with the imposition restriction act by organizing political rally and failing to comply with the compulsory wearing of face mask.

Additionally, they are to report to the police every Monday until the final determination of the case.

The Court presided over by Mrs. Dorinda Smith Arthur, adjourned the case to Monday, August 3.

Prosecuting, Chief Inspector John Asare Bediako, told the court that Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), Daniel Kwabena Darko, the Crime Officer of Assin Fosu Divisional Police Command, was the complainant.

He said, on Friday, July 3, at about 1930 hours, the accused persons under the guise of monitoring the on-going voters’ registration exercise in Assin South Constituency conspired and went to Assin Aworoso town in a convoy.

After a short courtesy call on the Chief at his palace, the accused went to town, organized and addressed a section of their supporters and some folks without notifying the police as enshrined in the Public Act, 1994 (ACT 491).

According to the police, the suspects blatantly disregarded the Executive Instrument (EI) issued under the Imposition of Restrictions ACT 2020 (ACT 1012) by not ensuring that all of the gathered supporters wore nose masks or face shield or adhered to social distancing protocols.

The prosecutor said in the course of the event, accused persons took video footages of the illegal acts which later went viral on social media platforms.

However, on Monday, July 6, the complainant intercepted the viral video, screened it and identified the accused on a mounted platform, addressing a massed up crowd of about 50 people, who were not wearing nose mask or shield in this COVID-19 era.

Police subsequently arrested the accused persons.