Appiah Stadium Attacker Remanded

Appiah Stadium A KUMASI circuit court yesterday remanded Linford Owuo aka 'Cedi', a 30-year-old National Democratic Congress (NDC) operative who attacked and completely burnt a Daewoo Lenox saloon car with registration number AS 8345 Z belonging to one Frank Appiah, a well-known serial caller of the New Patriotic Party (NPP).

On Wednesday morning, Owuo allegedly took the law into his hands when he led an unprovoked attack on the victim also known as 'Appiah Stadium' and in the process burnt his car valued at GH¢7,100 and robbed him of GH¢2,750.

The suspect who was brought to the court on two counts of arson and robbery pleaded not guilty to the charges and is to reappear on March 19.

Justice Emmanuel Amo Yartey who presided over the court similarly remanded the suspect to reappear on the same date for his alleged brutal assault on Ekow Sackey, the Assembly Member for the Asem Electoral Area in the Subin constituency in Kumasi about a month ago.

The NDC thug, who was arrested at his Fante New Town residence on Thursday morning, at first confessed to causing the arson and robbery but intriguingly denied the charges when he was brought to the court.

Chief Inspector A.K. Fandoh of the Ashanti Regional Police Command told the court that the victim was driving the said car along the Asafo Roundabout around 11:30 am on Wednesday when the suspect in the company with four armed persons allegedly stopped him and demanded his car keys.

He said the victim obliged and was subsequently forced into the suspect's car and driven to Fante New Town around the OA Transport Services area where he was later bungled into a waiting taxi.

Chief Inspector Fandoh narrated that the victim's seized car and the taxi were afterwards driven to the Asem School Park where the suspect and his accomplices stole GH¢2,750 from it and later set it ablaze, burning it beyond recognition.

He said after the condemnable act, the victim was driven in the same taxi from Asem School through Amakom towards an unknown destination but was rescued by some passers-by who heard him scream for help from the taxi.

Chief Inspector Fandoh said the suspect who operates a gymnasium at the Asem School Park area was previously being sought by the police for his alleged assault on Ekow Sackey.  

The suspect who is operating in the name of Daniel Ohene Agyekum, Ashanti regional chairman of NDC, DAILY GUIDE gathered, brutally assaulted the Assembly Member because he refused to hand over toilet keys in the electoral area to him upon request.

According to sources, the suspect indicated that his party is in power therefore he would take charge of the running of toilets in the area.

The suspect, who DAILY GUIDE learnt had also been boasting that his party is in government and that he can do anything untoward without the law catching up with him, categorically declared at the regional police command upon his arrest that though he was in custody now, he would be released soon.

He is alleged to have stated at the police station that when he is released, he would still ensure that life in the Garden City becomes unbearable for people loyal to NPP, particularly activists and serial callers who speak and defend the opposition party.

Meanwhile, the Regional Security Council (REGSEC) has reacted to the unfortunate development and urged the police to treat the matter as a purely criminal case.

In a release signed by the Regional Minister, Kofi Opoku Manu, REGSEC warned all interested parties including political parties not to take advantage of the incidence to create any violence.

From Morgan Owusu, Kumasi