Court remands Nima highway rioters

Thirteen rioters who were part of a mob which blocked the Nima -Maamobi highway and smashed the windscreen of a Police vehicle and a taxi cab were on Thursday remanded into prison custody to re-appear on October 4, 2012.

They have been charged with rioting and two counts of causing unlawful damage contrary to section 172(b) of Act 29/60, but they pleaded not guilty.

The accused persons are Bashiru Aminu, Fitter, Sule Issah, Tailor, Ibrahim Issah, unemployed, Ishmael Awuni Cobbina, Footballer and Rashid Mustapha.

Others are Yaazo Tutema, Cleaner, Ibrahim Yakubu, unemployed, Mustapha Dauda, Student, Issah Naari, enemployed and Kabutey Ocasey, Trader.

The rest are Karim Baroa, Trader, Danlard Mohammed, Driver and Mohamadu Abubarkar, unemployed.

The Prosecutor, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Alex Odonkor presenting the facts of the case said the first complainant, Emmanuel Tetteh is the driver of the Peugeot taxi with registration number GT 9368 R and the second complainant is the Nima Divisional Police Patrol team, whiles the accused persons are residents of Nima, Kanda and Maamobi.

He said on September 17, 2012, at about 3.30am, Emmanuel Tetteh, the driver of the Peugeot taxi, rushed to the Nima Police station and reported that he has been attacked by a group of thugs who had blocked the Nima -Maamobi highway.

The group blocked the highway with tables and stones; in the process smash the windscreen of the complainant's taxi valued at GH?100.00 and also snatch his Techno mobile phone valued at GH?90 laying on the dashboard of the car.

DSP Odonkor said the Police on receiving the information dispatched the Patrol team to the scene and the accused persons started throwing stones at the Police vehicle with registration number GP 2239 and in the process caused damage to the windscreen valued at GH?200.

He said the Patrol team had to fire warning shots to disperse the thugs. He said finally, re-enforcement was called and the Military/Police Patrol teams came to assist and the accused persons who were among the mob numbering about 100 were arrested.