Court grants GH¢50,000 bail to farmer over threat of harm

The Amasaman Circuit Court has granted a GH¢50,000 bail with two sureties to a farmer who allegedly threatened to harm a businessman and his employees.

Ali Baba Maigah, 28, had attempted to force Sadat Osmanu, the complainant and a tenant, to vacate his father’s store.

The accused person’s father had allegedly defrauded the complainant of GH¢30,000 under the pretext of securing him a store. This incident led to the threat of harm, resulting in Ali Baba’s arrest.

His wife, Brahina Yakubu, has also been charged with causing unlawful damage to the complainant’s car windscreen, valued at GH¢1,850.

Ali Baba denied threatening to harm the complainant’s workers.

The court, presided over by Ms. Enid Marful-Sau, ordered Ali Baba to reappear on April 2, 2025, for the Case Management Conference.

Meanwhile, a bench warrant has been issued for the arrest of his accomplices—his father and wife.

The court also ordered the prosecution to serve the accused with the necessary materials.

Police Chief Inspector Frederick Ansah-Awuah, presenting the facts, said the complainant was a businessman seeking to rent a store.

The accused persons are Brahina Yakubu, Ali Baba’s wife; Issaka Maiga, 62, his father; and Ali Baba himself. Brahina Yakubu is currently at large.

According to the prosecution, Ali Baba lived in his father’s house with his wife. In August 2024, the complainant, who was looking for a store to rent, contacted one Mallam Mutala, the Imam at Manhean in Accra.

Mallam Mutala led the complainant to Issaka’s house in Manhean, where Issaka showed him one of his stores. The complainant subsequently paid GH¢30,000 for a five-year lease.

However, after receiving the money, Issaka failed to answer the complainant’s calls, the court heard.

Despite this, the complainant proceeded with renovation work on the store, only to later discover that it had been occupied by an unknown person.

The prosecution stated that the complainant then attempted to work in an adjacent store. However, Ali Baba intervened, confiscated the workers’ tools, and threatened to beat them if they returned.

Despite multiple attempts to access the store, Ali Baba continued to prevent the complainant while Issaka remained unreachable.

On November 11, 2024, the complainant lodged a formal complaint with the Amasaman Divisional CID. Police attempted to contact Issaka, but he never answered.

The next day, when the complainant and his workers returned to the store, Ali Baba confronted and attacked them again, the prosecution said.

Ali Baba was subsequently arrested. While he was being transported in the complainant’s Ford vehicle to the police station, his wife, Brahina, verbally abused them and threw a stone at the vehicle, shattering the front windscreen, which was valued at GH¢1,850.

In his caution statement, Ali Baba admitted to preventing the complainant from working in the store.

On November 18, 2024, police received information that Issaka had been arrested in a similar case in Nsakina, a suburb of Accra.

Following an investigation, the court charged both Issaka and Ali Baba. However, Issaka failed to appear in court.

Meanwhile, police are making efforts to apprehend Brahina for questioning.