Suspected Rioters Fail to Attend Court

George Arthur, Executive Chairman of Brong Ahafo United Football Club and 15 other suspects believed to be supporters of the club charged with rioting with offensive instruments, unlawful entry, stealing, causing unlawful damage and assault, failed to turn up at the Sunyani Magistrate court on Tuesday.

Only Kofi Asare, also a suspect was present in court.

The other suspects are Malidu, Baba Sumaila, Offei Yaw, Yaw Frimpong, Bossman, Jomo and Emmanuel.

The rest are Alhaji Berekum, Mbaba, Asani, Ampontuah, Nana Brew, Yeboah Fispre and Gibilai.

The court, presided over by Mr. Charles Adjei Wilson adjourned the case till May 26, 2003, after Mr. Kwame Agyeman, counsel for the suspects said most of his clients could not be served with the criminal summons since they were out of town and that the summons were only served on Monday, less than 24 hours, through the club's Board of Directors.

The facts of the case were also deferred till the adjourned date and the plea of Asare was not taken.

Mr. Wilson entreated interested people in the case to behave well to ensure peace till the suspects appeared in court.

Assistant Superintendent of Police Alex Yartey Tawiah, prosecutor said there had been some wrangling between Mr. Kingsley Osei Bonsu, alias Zico, businessman and former Chief Executive officer of the club, who is the complainant and George Arthur over the running of the club.

He said at about 1700 hours on May 9, this year the accused persons attacked the complainant and destroyed the windscreen of his Opel Vectra saloon car and wounded the occupants, who are witnesses in the case.

The accused then marched to Space FM a local radio station belonging to Mr. Bonsu and vandalized the place as well as the building, causing damage running into millions of cedis.

ASP Tawiah said the accused, not satisfied with their actions also attacked Zico's store and restaurant and destroyed items and stole some money, all totaling about 15 million cedis.

A video camera valued at 15 million cedis, belonging to one Anthony Yeboah, a photographer was also snatched from him.

The case was reported to the police, who after thorough investigations served the accused persons with criminal summons to appear before the court.

Soon after court announced the adjournment, Mr. Bonsu in an angry mood informed the prosecutor that most of the suspects were lurking around the court premises but failed to respond to their names.

The prosecutor responded that he did not know them and the investigator was also not in court to identify the suspects.