Six Nigerian students granted bail

Accra, Feb. 6, GNA - Six Nigerian students of the University of Ghana, Legon, who allegedly conspired with a colleague to burn a cleaner with a pressing iron for allegedly stealing a laptop computer were on Tuesday granted bail by an Accra Circuit Court.

The Court granted them bail in the sum of 100 million cedis each with one surety to reappear on March 8 2007.

The students - Oburu Chinedu Noble; Ogunnowo Omotope; Nwosu Ineanyi Chekwu Chimdi; Anyoako Nodebechukwu; Arinze Ohachenu Justice Somadina and Ibeyeye Sanni - are charged for abetment of crime. Omotope, who allegedly used the hot iron on Philip Ettuh, the cleaner, is facing additional charges of causing harm and threat of death. They have all pleaded not gully.

Granting the bail application, the Court observed that their behaviour was inhuman.

Counsel for the sixth accused person Ibeyeye Sanni, Mr Oye Nii, who held brief for Mr Thomas Ward-Brew, said all the accused persons were sorry for their behaviour and asked that the matter be settled out of court.

He said already the students had contributed 10 million cedis to Mr Ettuh. Dr Awo Aseidu, a Lecturer at the University of Ghana, who is the guardian of the third accused person, Nwosu Ineanvi Chekwu Chimdi, explained to the Court that negotiations had been going on with the victim and his uncle and they had agreed that a certain amount be paid to him.

Dr Aseidu said the accused persons had also written a letter that the case be withdrawn from the Court and settled saying, "they are extremely sorry".

Prosecuting, Chief Inspector Ben Darfour said on January 21, 2007, a group of Nigerian students including Noble arrived on campus from Christmas Holidays and engaged the services of Mr Ettuh to carry their luggage to their rooms.

On the same day Noble and his friends watched a movie on the laptop in their room and at about 1500 hours, Noble locked his room and went out.

When he returned in the evening, Noble detected that his laptop was missing. At about 1100 hours on January 22, 2007, while Mr Ettuh was at work, Noble confronted him about the missing laptop but he denied taking it.

Noble with assistance of the other accused persons forced Mr Ettuh into his room and compelled him to confess after severe beatings. Omotope further heated an electric iron and pressed it on Mr Ettuh's left shoulder and chest.

The Prosecution said when the Chief Porter and his assistant got wind of the incident, they went to Mr Ettuh's aid but Noble declined to release him and threatened to stab Mr Ettuh with a broken bottle. The Chief Porter reported the incident to the Hall Secretary and his colleague, who later rescued Mr Ettuh.