Three remand staffers of Ketu North municipal hospital given bail

A Circuit Court at Torkor, near Denu in the Ketu South Municipality, has granted bail to three staffers of Ketu North Municipal Hospital who were on remand for extortion and attempted extortion. They were granted bail on Friday in the sum of GH¢200,000 each, with two sureties.

The trio, Collins Asilevi, a laboratory technician at the hospital, John Delu, a record keeper, and Stella Kale, a community health nurse, pleaded not guilty to the charges and were bailed to reappear on August 15 this year. They were represented by Senanu Afagbe, who filed an application for their bail, which was granted on Friday.

The trio, who appeared in the Circuit Court presided over by Joseph Ofosu Behone, had been remanded into police custody on Monday, July 29 this year, and were due to return on August 8 before the application for bail by Afagbe.

The prosecutor, Chief Inspector Hamid Mohamed, told the court that the trio conspired and extorted money from the owners of two chemical stores, totaling GH¢ 2,000 and GHC 1,000 respectively.

They then went to a third shop in Tadzewu but met resistance when the owner suspected them and sought advice from the Pharmacy Council and the Food and Drugs Authority.

The fleeing trio were chased and arrested at Weta Junction and handed over to the police. Upon investigation, they were charged with extortion. The trio are expected to appear in court again on August 15.