Victor Smith's case adjourned to June 24

A case in which Victor Emmanuel Smith, an aide to former President Jerry John Rawlings, was charged for allegedly threatening two journalists was last Friday adjourned to June 24 because defence counsels were not in court.

Mr. Anthony Gyambiby, Principal State Attorney, however, informed the tribunal that Counsels for the accused had telephoned him that they would not be able to attend the court because they were presenting a paper in Parliament and, therefore, pleaded that the matter be adjourned for a fortnight.

The tribunal chaired by Mr. Imoru Ziblim obliged. At the last sitting both Prosecution and Defence counsel agreed on a three-week adjournment for the matter to be heard but when the case was called Defence Counsels were absent.

The journalists, who were threatened are Mr. Kweku Baako Junior, Editor of the Crusading Guide and Mrs. Margaret Amoakohene, a social commentator and lecturer at the School of Communication Studies, University of Ghana, Legon.

Smith has pleaded not guilty to issuing a threat of death and is on a 50 million cedis bail.

The tribunal was told that on March 18, the accused and Mr. Abrampah Mensah, Interim President of the Action Forum, which is affiliated to the National Democratic Congress (NDC), wrote a correspondence to be handed over to Mr. Baako Junior and Mrs. Amoakohene that they would not sit down unconcerned over their criticisms of the former President.

The Prosecution said the accused also warned that if the two did not stop their criticisms after receiving the letters, members of the Action Forum would be given pick-up vehicles to track and crash them.

The accused also said should these steps to silence the two fail, they would devise other means to kill them. Mr. Mensah, who is a witness in the case, was alarmed and revealed the plot to a friend and handed over the letter to him. This friend in turn gave it to Mr. Baako Junior, who informed Mrs. Amoakohene.

Accused admitted being the author of the threatening letter on his arrest, the Police said.