Two men accused of land guard activities weep in court for forgiveness

Two men accused of engaging in land guard activities and unlawfully demolishing an uncompleted building and a fence wall at East Legon in Accra wept uncontrollably after an Accra Circuit Court remanded them into custody.

Gabriel Abotsi Ahor, 29, a carpenter, and Benjamin Essel, 32, a concrete mixer, knelt in court and pleaded with the complainant for forgiveness amid tears.

Their emotional display also moved some of their relatives to tears as the Police escorted them from the court premises.

Their lawyer later intervened to calm them down.

Ahor and Essel have been charged with conspiracy to commit crime, namely prohibition of activities of land guards, engaging in land guard activities, conspiracy to commit crime, namely causing unlawful damage, and causing unlawful damage.

The court, however, declined a bail application filed by their counsel and remanded them to reappear on September 23, 2026.

Three alleged accomplices, identified as Watara, Usha and Shamsudeen Hussein, are said to be at large, with the Police pursuing them.

Defence counsel pleaded with the court to grant the accused persons bail, saying they had fixed places of abode and persons of good repute who were prepared to stand as sureties for them.

Counsel also assured the court that the accused persons would not interfere with police investigations if granted bail.

The prosecution opposed the application, arguing that the accused persons could interfere with investigations.

The prosecution said land guard activities had become a growing menace, with perpetrators depriving people, particularly vulnerable property owners, of their lands.

It said the Police were taking steps to curb the menace and apprehend the alleged masterminds behind the activities.

The prosecution further told the court that Ahor had failed to provide the Police with a verifiable address.

It therefore prayed the court to remand the accused persons to enable the Police to complete investigations.

The facts presented to the court indicated that the complainant, whose name has been withheld, is a public servant residing at Community 25, Tema.

Ahor was a resident of Shiashie, while Essel resided at Ablekuma, all in Accra.

The prosecution said in 1997, the complainant's father purchased two plots of land at Adjiringanor from Seth Laryea Mensah, Head of Family of the Ashong Mitse Odatei Family.

After obtaining the relevant documents for the land, he constructed a 10-bedroom house and other structures on the property.

Following his death, the property was transferred to the complainant and her two siblings.

In July 2026, the complainant and one of her siblings demolished the existing structures to make way for the construction of a modern house.

However, while construction was ongoing, the accused persons, together with Watara, Usha and Shamsudeen Hussein, allegedly harassed and threatened the complainant in an attempt to take over the land.

On July 15, 2026, the accused persons, armed with cutlasses and other implements, allegedly invaded the land while the complainant and some workers were there.

They allegedly assaulted the complainant and two workers, identified as Atsu Michael and Joshua Ahinful, seized their tools and chased them off the property.

The alleged harassment continued, prompting the complainant to petition the Director-General of the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) on August 26, 2026.

The prosecution said that on September 5, 2026, at about 2000 hours, the Police received information from the complainant that the accused persons and their accomplices were again on the land.

A team of police personnel was subsequently deployed to the site. On seeing the police, the accused persons and their accomplices allegedly fled.

The police pursued them and apprehended Ahor and Essel, while the others escaped.

The prosecution said efforts were underway to apprehend the remaining suspects, while the case was adjourned to September 23, 2026.

GNA