Remanded PNC officials move to the High Court

Accra, March 8, GNA - Three members of the People's National Convention (PNC), who had their bail revoked by a Magistrate Court for allegedly flouting its orders, moved to the High Court on Tuesday to secure bail. The three, Somtim Tobiga, Baba Ghana Seidu and Ahmed Gado, were not in court.

The case was adjourned to March 10 by the High Court. This was because when the case was called, Ms Dora Quaye of the Attorney General's Department told the court that she had just been serve= d with the motion.

Ms Quaye therefore prayed the court, presided over by Mr Justice Charles Quist, to grant them a short adjournment to enable her to respond t= o the motion.

The three, who were standing trial before the Adjabeng Magistrate Cour= t 2 for allegedly breaking into the office of the PNC headquarters, have been charged with stealing and causing harm.

The Magistrate, Mrs Faustina Mary Addington, after revoking their bail= , further ordered the agents, assigns and workmen of the accused persons to vacate the premises until the final determination of the case. Earlier, Police Inspector Fuseini M. Iddrisu, the prosecutor, told the court that the three accused persons, together with some members of the Council of Elders, claimed they had abolished the current National Executiv= e Committee and replaced it with an Interim Management Committee (IMC). He said the accused persons, together with others, who are at large, changed the locks to the offices of the party's headquarters preventing t= he elected officers from operating.

The prosecutor said the officers, including Alhaji Ahmed Rhamadan, National Chairman, Mr Bernard Mornah, General Secretary and Mr Attik Mohammed, a Policy Analyst, lodged a complainant with the Police at Kotobab= i in Accra.

Captain Nkrabeah Effah-Darteh (Rtd), who was 93watching and holding brief" for the complainants, had informed the court that the accused pers= ons had flouted its orders as they were still occupying the party's offices, despite the orders of the court made on January 6 that they should vacate. Capt. Effah-Dartey therefore prayed the court to revoke the bail by sending them back to custody until they complied with the orders of the court.

He said he had advised his clients to respect the law by not doing anything that would disturb the court processes. Capt. Effah-Darteh noted that the charges levelled against the accused persons were stealing and causing damage, which were criminal offences and does not need the filing of stay of execution among other applications. He said the accused persons were at liberty to pursue any civil action= , as to whether or not they did not like their party chairman. Seidu, however, told the court that the party's offices were opened and not closed.

According to Gado, he had filed applications against the party at the High Court and denied ever stealing anything from the party headquarters. The court had earlier granted GH¢4,000 bail each to Tobiga and Seidu= .. Gado, the third accused person, who also denied the charges, was granted GH¢3,000 bail with two sureties, one of whom to be justified by t= he court.