Seven before court for attacking workers

Accra, Aug. 19, GNA - Seven persons accused of attacking people working on a piece of land at new Bortianor with cutlasses and destroying properties running into million of cedis on Tuesday appeared before an Accra Circuit Court.

The accused persons, who were admitted on a 60 million cedis bail each with one surety to be justified, are to reappear on September 4, this year.

They are: Ofori Daani, Commey Tetteh, Armah Mensah, all Farmers; Odartey Lamptey, Gordon Maatei Quaye and Joseph Anum and Lantei Quaye, all Fishermen, have pleaded not guilty to conspiracy, assault, causing unlawful damage and harm.

Amankwah, an accomplice who allegedly armed himself with a rifle and led the accused persons to attack the workers, is however on the run. The facts narrated by Inspector Emmanuel Boison are that, on May 15 at about 0830 hours, the complainant sent his workers to develop a piece of land at new Bortianor.

Prosecution said immediately the workers had begun work, the accused persons emerged from a nearby bush and attacked them. Inspector Boison said the workers explained to Amakwah, who led the accused persons that they were labourers, who had been sent to work on the land but Amakwah would not listen.

Shortly, Amakwah fired into the air and ordered the rest of the accused persons to attack the workers. Some of the workers sustained severe cutlass wounds while others fled.

The Prosecution said the workers, who sustained injuries, were rushed to the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital. When the Police was called to the scene, all the accused person had fled.

Later the workers identified some of the accused persons and they were arrested.

Police investigations revealed that the accused persons had vandalised some working tools such as wheelbarrows and shovels and a taxicab. Aug. 19, 03