No prosecutor for NPP office raiders case

There was no state prosecutor at an Accra Circuit Court yesterday for the trial of 11 persons arrested for allegedly invading and ransacking the office of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in Accra.

Bismark Osei Danso, 58, the supposed ring leader of the group that invaded the office was supposed to be cross-examined by the prosecution, led by DSP Abraham Annor.

But at the hearing of the case, the substantive prosecutor did not show up and nobody was there to represent him.

Abdul Azix Mohammed, lawyer for the accused person, said efforts to reach DSP Annor via mobile phone proved futile, as his phone had been switched off.

This compelled the judge, Ruby Naa Adjeley Quayson, to adjourn hearing to today.

Other accused persons are: Razak Ebenezer Aduful, Abdulai Wudu, Kwame Adu Annan, Michael Agoha, Rakia Ali Mohammed and Obed Yawson.

The rest are Ali Iddris, 24, unemployed, Nii Teiko Ayi-Bontey, Shamzi Dinni and Ben Okyere.

At the previous sitting, the prosecution told the court that somebody had whispered the name of one of the accused persons to Danso.

During cross-examination, he was asked to mention the name of the ninth accused that was in the dock with him.

Danso initially said he did not know him, but later mentioned his name as Obed Yawson, an action that angered the prosecution.

According to the prosecutor, DSP Annor, the accused persons on Monday, November 23, 2015, between 1:30 and 2:30 am at Asylum Down and Kokomlemle respectively unlawfully entered the premises of the NPP with intent to commit crime.

The accused persons are facing other charges.

Speaking in various Ghanaian languages, the accused persons denied the offences and were each admitted to bail in the sum of GH¢10,000 with two sureties.

They are also to execute a bail bond to be of good behavior, or in default serve three months in jail.