Trial of Haleem Banda begins

Accra, July 4, GNA - The trial of Haleem Banda, son of Alhaji Asoma Banda, a business tycoon, began on Wednesday at the Fast Track High Court as Mr Kofi Okyere-Darko, a radio presenter who said the accused fired at him, mounted the witness box.

Banda is being held on two counts of threat of death, possessing firearm and ammunition without lawful authority and possessing pump action gun with an expired licence. Haleem pleaded not guilty.

The Court, presided over by Mr Justice B.T. Aryeetey, am Appeal Court judge, remanded him to reappear on July 9. Answering questions under cross-examination by Mr Agbesi Dzakpasu, counsel for Haleem, Mr Okyere-Darko maintained that Haleem fired three shots at the Cinderella Night Club at Cantonments in Accra at the dawn on June 10, 2007.

The witness denied that his evidence was an afterthought and refuted counsel's assertion that Haleem never issued any threats to him. According to him, what he told Joy FM, a private radio station, was not different from what he told the court.

Led in evidence by Mrs Stella Badu, Senior State Attorney, Mr Okyere-Darko said on that fateful day, he was in the company of his friend, Mr Emmanuel Kiki Banson, a businessman, at the night club. According to the witness, Mr Banson, who is the second complainant, did not provoke Haleem to warrant the insults and threats. Witness said Haleem's conduct lasted between 15 to 20 minutes and that compelled many customers to leave the night club. Mr Okyere-Darko said he enquired from Mr Banson what was wrong and whether he knew Haleem.

Witness said Mr Banson in response asked him (Mr Okyere-Darko) to follow him to his car. Surprisingly Haleem pursued them amidst words of threat.

"Haleem knocked me down, drew a pistol and fired three times and pointed the nozzle of the weapon at my neck, daring me to talk if I was a man," witness said.

Mr Okyere-Darko said Mr Banson then entered Cinderella Night Club but Haleem chased him shouting, "Where are you? I will kill you." According to Mr Okyere-Darko, Haleem nearly knocked him down with a car when he (Okyere-Darko) went to pick his mobile phone from his car. Witness said later the Police Patrol team arrived at the scene and he (Okyere-Darko) gave two statements to the Police. Two security guards who testified also corroborated Mr Okyere-Darko's evidence.

The Police on June 12, this year arrested Haleem in the company of his brother, Sadiq, when they appeared before an Accra Circuit Court charged with causing unlawful damage to property worth 9,000 dollars belonging to Cinderella Night Club in Accra.

Haleem, Managing Director of PHC Tema, pleaded not guilty and is on a 300 million-cedi bail with one surety.

He was said to have threatened Mr Banson, a businessman and manager of the Cinderella Night Club at Cantonment in Accra and Mr Kofi Okyere-Darko, a radio presenter, with death.