Okatakyie Afrifa granted GH¢100,000 bail over alleged disruption of NPP constituency elections

The Nsuta Circuit Court has granted bail to media personality Kwame Afrifa Mensah, popularly known as Okatakyie Afrifa, and six other persons accused of disrupting the New Patriotic Party's (NPP) Constituency Executive Elections in the Afigya Sekyere East Constituency of the Ashanti Region.

Okatakyie Afrifa, who appeared in court with bandages around his head and a cervical collar, was transported in an ambulance and required assistance as he walked to and from the courtroom.

The 43-year-old was granted bail in the sum of GH¢100,000 with three sureties, one of whom must be a government employee earning not less than GH¢4,000 monthly.

The six other accused persons — Osman Awuni, 44, a driver; Kwabena Tsikata, 36, a private investigator; Bashiru Salifu, also known as Tinny, 39, an electrician; Kofi Antwi, 42, a driver; Paul Kofi Mensah, 41, a driver; and Simon Ndana, 27, also a driver — were each granted bail in the sum of GH¢50,000 with two sureties.

The case was heard by His Lordship Simon Nkatiah Gagah.

Presenting the facts, Chief Inspector Owusu Kobi Moses told the court that intelligence gathered during a regional security meeting chaired by the Ashanti North Regional Police Commander, DCOP Felix Apedo, on Thursday, July 9, 2026, suggested that a group of suspected vigilantes from Accra and Kumasi had allegedly been recruited to disrupt the constituency elections held at Wiamoase on Sunday, July 12.

The prosecution said the Regional Operations Unit and the Police Intelligence Directorate were directed to verify the intelligence and take preventive measures to avert any security breaches.

According to the prosecution, at about 7:45 a.m. on the day of the elections, the first accused allegedly led about 30 suspected vigilante members to the Seventh-day Adventist (SDA) Church polling centre at Wiamoase in a Toyota Land Cruiser with registration number GN 7671-17, a Toyota Tundra pickup with an unidentified registration number and about five motorbikes.

Chief Inspector Moses told the court that when police officers approached the group to ascertain the purpose of their presence, the suspects allegedly became hostile, assaulted some officers and disrupted the electoral process by scattering electoral materials.

The court heard that five of the accused persons were arrested at the scene, while several others escaped.

The prosecution further stated that Kwabena Tsikata allegedly followed the police vehicle in the Toyota Land Cruiser after the arrests and was later apprehended.

According to the prosecution, Paul Kofi Mensah allegedly admitted in his caution statement that the group had been engaged by Okatakyie Afrifa to disrupt the elections because some delegates believed to be loyal to him had been removed from the electoral register.

The prosecution also alleged that Okatakyie Afrifa, in his handwritten caution statement, admitted engaging the other accused persons and some individuals still at large to assist in serving a court order.

Police further told the court that a search conducted during the arrests led to the retrieval of several items believed to be exhibits.

Among the items allegedly recovered were a spent BB cartridge from Kwabena Tsikata and Bashiru Salifu, a NATO pepper spray and three toffees suspected to contain narcotic substances, popularly referred to as "wee toffees."

Another NATO pepper spray and a live BB cartridge were allegedly recovered from Paul Kofi Mensah.

The prosecution indicated that investigations are ongoing and that efforts are being made to arrest other suspects believed to have fled the scene.

As investigations have not been concluded, the accused persons were not required to enter pleas.

The case has been adjourned to August 13, 2026, when the accused persons are expected to take their pleas.