Rioting Teshie youth case adjourned to September 28

The case involving rioting Teshie youth who threatened to spray police officers with faeces when they were asked to stop the celebration of Homowo has been adjourned to September 28, 2020.

The accused persons numbering 10 have been granted a combined bail sum of GH¢150,000 with two sureties each one of which must be a public servant.

The 10 rioting youth at Teshie who were also pelting stones at police officers over ban on Homowo ‘jama,’ were each granted bail in the sum of GH¢15,000.

The court presided over by Her Honour Evelyn Asamoah however directed the prosecution to comply with the procedure on disclosures.

Accused persons

The 10 accused persons are Akweley Armah, Desmond Mahama Martey, Thomas Adjei, Isaac Mensah, Christopher Mensah, John Odai Laryea, Emmanuel Adjetey, Julius Mahama, Matthew Amartey and Frank Nmabiue.

All the accused persons pleaded not guilty to three charges of failing to comply with restrictions imposed, rioting with weapons and obstructing police officers from performing their lawful duties.

While Odai Laryea and Matthew Amartey also face additional charges of carrying offensive weapon and holding knife without lawful authority.

Brief facts

The prosecutor, Chief Inspector Emmanuel Ahaligah told the court that on July 22, 2020, the Teshie Traditional Council with letter referenced number AF/ADM01-2020/08 directed that upon several consultations with the various stakeholders and most importantly the Kpashimo Group-A youth group that usually engage in organising streets carnivals during the celebration of Teshie Homowo festival and explained to them that due to the imposition of the restrictions order to contain the spread of COVID-19 menace, the Traditional Council was not going to celebrate 2020 Teshie Homowo festival in grand style as it used to be.

He said the council further directed that all rituals practices should be restricted to the individual clan homes with strict observations of the Covid-19 protocols as enforced.

According to him on Tuesday, August 11, 2020, at about 2 am, the accused persons and other accomplices numbering about 300 now at large defied the restriction orders that are currently enforce and trooped to major streets in Teshie Township apparently celebrating Kpashimo, a significant activity of the Teshie Homowo festival.

Chief Inspector Ahaligah said most of them including the accused persons were armed with offensive weapons such as stones, bottles, cutlasses and knives attacking people and obstructing road users.

He told the court that on seeing the police, the accused persons and their accomplices now at large resorted to pelting the police with stones and bottles.

“Additionally,” he said, “the rampaging youth burnt tyres in the middle of the road to prevent other road users and police from dispersing the rioting crowd.”

“The Teshie Divisional Command called for reinforcement and in the process, accused persons were arrested.

“One butcher knife each was retrieved from accused John Odai Laryea and Matthew Amartey. After investigations, accused persons were charged with relevant offences and are now before court,” he told the court.