The trial of Victor Emmanuel Smith, an aide to Ex-President Jerry John Rawlings was on Wednesday adjourned to 2 May by an Accra Circuit Court. The trial was put on hold following the transfer of the Judge presiding over the case.
When sitting resumed at the court, Emmanuel Ankamah, the new Judge enquired from the Prosecution whether the two parties were going to adopt the former proceedings of the circuit tribunal or to restart the trial.
The court, therefore, adjourned the matter for parties in the case to decide and inform the court on the next adjourned date. Dr Benjamin Kumbour represented Smith while Miss Barbara Sackey represented the State.
Smith, on 12 April appeared before a circuit tribunal for allegedly issuing threats of death to two Journalists. He pleaded not guilty and was granted 50 million cedis bail by Imoru Ziblim, the former trial Judge.
On 18 March the accused and Abrampah Mensah, Interim President of the Action Forum of the National Democratic Congress, wrote a correspondence to be handed over to Kweku Baako Junior, Editor of "The Crusading Guide" newspaper and Mrs Margaret Amoakohene, a Social Commentator and Lecturer at the School of Communication Studies, University of Ghana, Legon that they would not sit down unconcerned over their criticism of the Former President.
The accused also warned that if the victims failed to stop their criticisms after receiving the letters, members of the Action Forum would be given pick-up vehicles to track them down and crash them.
Smith further stated that should these steps to silence the two fail they would devise other means to kill them. Mensah, who is a witness in the case, was alarmed and revealed the plot to a friend and handed the letter to him. This friend in turn gave it to Baako Jnr, who informed Mrs Amoakohene. Smith was arrested and he admitted being the author of the threatening letter.
