Six granted GHc30,000 bail

Six people who allegedly obstructed public way and attacked two police officers at Prestea in the Western region have been granted bail in the sum of GHc5,000 each by the Tarkwa circuit court.

The accused, Kwasi Nyamoah, 48, Alidu Bawa, 47, Sumaila Fusani, 28, Sampson Asare, 35, Kwame Sam, 29, and Kwame Atwam, 27, pleaded not guilty to the charges levelled against them.

They will re-appear before the court on September 12.

Prosecuting, Detective Chief Inspector Oscar Amponsah, told the court presided over by Mr. Samuel Obeng Diawuo that on September 3, at about 10:00 hours, Golden Star Bogoso Prestea Limited, a mining firm in the Western region, organized a public hearing at Mbease Nsuta near Prestea, on a proposed gold mining project in the community.

Inspector Amponsah said around 8:00 hours on that same day, the youth of Bondaye, including the accused persons, organized themselves and mounted a road block with tree trunks and stones, preventing the company and other invited guest from attending the forum.

According to the prosecutor, the police patrol team upon hearing the information rushed to the scene, but the youth on seeing them started throwing stones at the police and the accused persons were arrested in the process.

Inspector Amponsah said in a bid to arrest Sumaila Fuseni, one of the accused, he assaulted General Lance Corporal Emmanuel Addai and General Constable Boakye Ansah.

He said the accused persons separately denied the offense in their caution statements.

The prosecutor said after investigation, they were charged with the offense.