Suspects in NPP headquarters raid granted bail

Accra, Nov 25, GNA - An Accra Circuit Court on Wednesday granted a bail of GHȼ10,000.00 each with two sureties each to the 11 New Patriotic Party (NPP) supporters arrested in relation to the ransacking of the party's headquarters.

Bismark Osei Danso, Contractor, Ali Iddrisu, Unemployed, Razak Ebenezer Aduful, Abdulai Wudu, Kwame Adu Annan, Nii Teiko Ayi-Bontey, Micheal Agoha, Shamzu Dinni, Obed Yawson, Rakia Ali Mohammed and Ben Okyere were charged with unlawful entry, being on premises for unlawful purpose and causing unlawful damage.

They pleaded not guilty to all the charges and were granted bail.

They were said to have unlawfully entered the premises of the NPP, with the intent to commit crime and intentionally causing damage to 14 wooden doors of the office worth GHȼ 28,000.00.

The court, Presided over by Mrs Abena Oppong Adjin-Doku also ordered the accused persons to sign and execute a bond of good behaviour, or in default serve three months imprisonment.

The prosecution, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Abraham Annor prayed the court to remand the accused persons into custody to assist them in investigation.

Mr Kweku Boadu, holding brief for the NPP, said as a party it is very interested in knowing and understanding why military men, police vehicles, and military vehicles would come to the party office at 0100 hours.

He said the party is of the view that anything likely to interfere with the investigations should be avoided and thus wants the accused persons to be remanded in custody and to be prosecuted.

However Counsel for the accused persons, Abdul Aziz Mohammed told the court that the accused persons are all members of the NPP and were part of the more than 400 members who have the party at heart and are not happy about the misunderstandings in the party.

He said they went to the head office to show their concern and discuss with party leaders about the way forward and therefore prayed for bail for his clients.

The court then adjourned the case to December 8.
The prosecution, DSP Annor said on November 23, at about 0230 hours police acted on information that some soldiers have invaded the National Headquarters of the NPP, at Asylum Down in Accra and are causing damage to properties.

He said the police immediately rushed to the scene and accused Bismark, a retired Soldier together with ten others in red ''T'' shirts with inscription 'United Patriot' were arrested.

He said they were all sent to the Accra Regional Headquarters and later to the CID Headquarters for investigations.

During investigation and in their caution statements, accused Bismark, informed police that he mobilised eight retired soldiers all living at Kakasonaka near Michel Camp and dressed them in military uniforms, and took them to NPP Headquarters.

The prosecution said they the retired soldiers had information that the ''Invisible forces'' at the NPP Headquarters have weapons on them and needed to disarm them before they organise a peace meeting between the Executive of the NPP and the suspended Chairman at the Party Headquarters.

He said in addition, he mobilised 480 youth supporters from the 10 regions to come to the Party Headquarters to support them since they would organise a news conference after the meeting.

DSP Annor said, however, when the retired soldiers entered the Party Headquarters they took the security men hostage and locked them up in the security room. The eight retired soldiers entered the premises without anybody at the NPP Headquarters accompanying them.

He said the retired soldiers later brought a fertilizer sack containing three SMG guns loaded with 36 live ammunitions and three machetes and informed the caretakers and the security man that, they found the weapons near the generating set behind the building.

He told the court that soldiers then stated that the security man, Moro Sulemana was the custodian of the weapons since he was a member of the Invisible Forces operating at the NPP Headquarters.

The Security man, however, denied ownership of the weapons found.

DSP Annor said investigations are ongoing.
GNA