Zabramaline Shooting Incident: Military Officer granted GHS100,000 bail

The Military Officer who was involved in the Zabramaline shooting incident has appeared before an Accra Circuit Court.

Isaac Abbey, 37-years old, who was charged with protection of land and interest in land, carrying offensive weapons and trespassing, has pleaded not guilty to the charges.

The accused person has been granted bail in the sum of GHS100,000.00, each with two sureties.

The Court ordered that one of the sureties should be justified and that one of the sureties should be civil servant earning not less than GHS2,000.00.

Meanwhile, his accomplices, Godfred Amegbor, a 29-year-old mobile money vendor and Offei Darko, a 28-year-old musician are also on bail.

They were jointly being held for abetment of crime and trespass.

Darko is however facing three counts of causing harm and the use of offensive weapons.

They pleaded not guilty.

According to prosecution, Offei Darko, could not appear before court on their adjourned date and information received by the Court indicated that he had been admitted at the hospital due to the

beating he received on the day of his arrest.

Meanwhile, the Court has warned the Prosecution to prepare and serve all disclosures.

The Court presided over by Mr Sam Bright Acquah adjourned the matter to July 5, 2022.

Earlier, Prosecuting Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Augustus Yirenkyi told the Court that Abbey was a military officer with the Education Unit at Teshie, Darko was a musician, Amegbor was a mobile money vendor at Lapaz, Accra and Yahaya Tamimu, aged 32, was a trader.

The Prosecution said on June 4, 2022, Amegbor who was in a military uniform, captured on video posed as military officer stationed at the Education Unit in Teshie, and Darko joined Abbey in his Ford SUV vehicle to a construction site at Zamramaline, a community in Dansoman for an illegal demolishing exercise.

Mr Yirenkyi said they met a crowd including victims Faisal Khalid Azuma and Ali Hashimiru, who was currently on admission at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, suffering from gunshot wounds.

The Prosecution said the victims confronted the accused persons and asked them of a court order that gave them the power to demolish the property on the land and that generated an intense argument between the two parties.

Mr Yirenkyi said Darko who was seen wielding a gun in a video, aimed and shot at the victims which led to Azuma sustaining injuries on his left ankle, Hashimiru to his stomach, a 13-year-old Fawzan Inusah, a passerby to his buttocks, and three others who were part of the crowd.

The Prosecution said Hashimiru and three others were rushed to the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital.

Mr Yirenkyi said three were treated and discharged but Hashimiru was detained due to the severity of his injuries, whilst the 13-year-old Inusah was sent to Shukura Community Clinic where he was also treated and discharged.

After the shooting, suspect Abbey arrested the injured and brought him to the Dansoman Police Station and lodged a complaint of causing damage to his vehicle where the accused was arrested and detained for investigation.

The Prosecution said Darko and Amegbor were later arrested by the youth of Zamramaline and brought to the station severely beaten.

Mr Yirenkyi said victim Azuma and the two accused persons were sent to the Dansoman Polyclinic where they were treated and discharged.

During investigations, the accused persons alleged that the gun was taken from them by the crowd which assaulted them.

The case is still under investigation, according to prosecution.

GNA