High Court revoke ban on chief

Koforidua, Feb. 13, GNA - A Koforidua High Court has revoked the restriction it placed on the chief of Kwae, near Kade, Barima Kwame Bonfi III and his linguist from going back to the town until further notice as part of a bail bond.

They faced the court on a three-count charge involving an attack on two policemen in the town on New Year's Day.


The Court, presided over by Mr Justice S. Marful-Sau, on January 14, this year, placed the restriction on Barima Bonfi and Okyeame Kwaku Noah, at the request of the prosecution when they and five others were arraigned before a Koforidua Circuit Court over the incident.


All the accused persons pleaded not guilty to use of offensive weapons, causing harm and causing unlawful damage and were granted 20-million-cedi bail with two sureties each.


The other five included Thomas Kofi Appiah, a driver, Joseph Oppong, a farm labourer, Isaac Larbi, Evans Nyanzu and Noah Akorsah, all farmers.


Police Superintendent Elizabeth Allandu, told the High Court presided over by Mr Justice Victor G.K. Ayimah, that on January 1, security guards of the Ghana Oil Palm Development Company (GOPDC)intercepted a Nissan pick-up loaded with firewood within the plantation being driven by Appiah.


She said when the guards attempted to search the vehicle for any hidden oil palm fruits, Appiah and his mate, Oppong, resisted until they were allowed to go.

On reaching Kwae, Appiah and Oppong allegedly raised false alarm that the guards tortured them.


The prosecution said some youth in the town, therefore, erected a barrier on the street to trap the company's guards during their rounds through the town to attack them in revenge.


She said when eventually the guards arrived and attempted to dismantle the barrier, a mob, including the accused, armed with various weapons, attacked them and inflicted cutlass wounds on them. According to her, two policemen who were sent to restore law and order were also attacked and disarmed by the mob, during which they received serious injuries and the guards had to be rushed to the St Dominic Hospital at Akwatia for admission.


She said Barima Bonfi allegedly imposed a dusk-to-dawn curfew on the town to enable those involved in the attack to flee.


The prosecution told the court that the police later retrieved the rifle and cap of a policeman from the palace of Barima Bonfi. In reviewing the restriction, the court stated that the Chief State Attorney "has confirmed that there is now some peace in the town and the applicants have promised not to pose any security risk".


The Judge said, "I will therefore grant the application and revoke the bail term that the applicant should not go to Kwae," adding, however, that "all the other bail condition shall remain the same".