Police investigator tender statements of Ya-na accused killers in court

Accra, Oct. 18 GNA - Police Detective Inspector Augustus Nkrumah, who conducted fresh investigations on the Ya-Na murder case, on Monday tendered caution statements of the 15 accused persons to the Fast Track High Court hearing the case in Accra.

The accused persons were arrested in a swoop in Yendi and brought to Accra.

The investigator explained that after taking the statements of the accused persons, the Ghana Police Service organised an identification parade where they were identified by their accusers.

Inspector Nkrumah was testifying at the ongoing trial of the murder of Ya-Na Yakubu Andani II, in Accra.

However the accused persons in their statements which were read in court denied knowledge and involvement in the murder of the Ya-Na. Inspector Nkrumah, who was led in evidence by Mr Anthony Rexford Wiredu, a Principal State Attorney said on February 2, his boss asked him to takeover the investigations into the murder of the Ya-Na. He said he was asked to take down the statements of the accused persons.

Inspector Wiredu said because the case had already been handled by the police he was requested to invite the witnesses in the murder trial to take their statements.

He said he travelled to Yendi and visited the Gbewaa Palace to carry out fresh investigations on the matter. He said the front view of the palace was riddled with bullet holes, while a burnt tractor was parked behind.

Inspector Nkrumah explained that the thatched roof of the palace had been re-roofed by the Abudus who took over the place after the murder of Ya-Na Andani to perform the funeral rites of the late Ya-Na Mahamadu.

He also said he visited the spot where the Ya-Na was murdered and the Prison quarters where some of the witnesses who had testified in the case claimed they were hiding and saw the murderers of the Chief. Earlier, the court presided over by Mr Justice E.K Ayebi, an Appeal Court Judge sitting additionally as High Court Judge ruled on a matter in which the Defence was asking the Prosecution to make available all relevant materials and documents relating to the Wuako Commission of Enquiry. The request includes the commission's proceedings, pictures, video and audio recordings as well as the copies of the original report. The court in its ruling said persons who have documents and materials relating to the Wuako Commission but fails to disclose them to the court cannot rely on them in the course of the trial. The ruling follows an application filed by the Defence for the Prosecution to provide all documents and materials relevant to the trial to the court. Mr Anthony Rexford Wiredu, a Principal State Attorney in his response said the Prosecution had made searches at the government printer, Attorney General's and Justice Department libraries and still had not found the document which the Defence claims should be in their possession because the Wuako Commission proceedings and reports was presented to the government. Fifteen persons are on trial for their alleged involvement in the assassination of Ya-Na Andani and 30 others in March 2002. They have all pleaded not guilty to the charges of conspiracy to murder and murder. The accused persons are; Mohammed Habib Tijani, former Yendi DCE, Iddrisu Iddi, 76, Alhaji Baba Iddrisu Abdulai, 54, Kwame Alhassan, 53, and Mohammadu Abdulai, 57. The others are; Saibu Mohammed, 34, Alhassan Mohammed Briamah, 40, Alhassan Ibrahim, Mohammed Mustapha and Sani Moro. The rest are; Baaba Ibrahim, Yakubu Usifu, Ahmed Abukari, Abdul Razak Usifu and Alhassan Braimah. Zakaria Forest, the man alleged to have cut-off the head and hands of the Ya- Na, is at large. The prosecution's case is that sometime in March 2002, the Ya-Na and some of his elders were killed following a clash between the two royal gates in Dagbon, the Abudus and Andanis. After the clash, Idrissu Gyamfo and Yidana Sugri were arrested and prosecuted for the alleged murder but they were acquitted and discharged. The government in a fresh attempt to find the murderers conducted a dawn swoop at Yendi during which 41 persons were rounded up. After screening them in Bimbilla, 33 were granted self-recognisance bail, while the rest were brought to Accra and subsequently others were arrested and were arraigned. The case has been adjourned to October 19, 2010. 18 Oct. 10