body-container-line-1
19.03.2009 NPP

NPP boss arrested

19.03.2009 LISTEN
By Daily Guide

The Central Regional Police Command is on the offensive again, arresting another New Patriotic Party (NPP) guru in the region, days after doing same to the Assin North Chairman, Fiifi Baako.

The party's Central Regional Chairman, Danquah Smith popularly called Botee, was arrested on Tuesday and put before a Cape Coast Circuit Court.

The court, presided over by Richard Aseidu-Badu, granted a GH¢5,000 bail to Mr Smith who had been invited by the Central Regional Police Command to produce Julius Nyamson, an NPP supporter whom the Central Regional Minister, Ama Benyiwa Doe claimed had robbed her of her personal belongings.

Smith was charged with forfeiture of recognisance and is to re-appear on April 1.

Ato Amponsah Dadzie, counsel for Mr. Smith, pleaded with the court to grant his client bail since negotiations were underway to settle the case with Madam Benyiwa Doe.

He said his client would make it a point to produce the alleged suspect.

Prosecuting, Chief Inspector Hope Azasoo said on December 7, 2008, during the general elections, Madam Doe and Percival Kurankye, both National Democratic Congress (NDC) activists, were on a campaign tour of Assin North Constituency when NPP members  attacked  and allegedly snatched from them GH¢5,800, two Nokia mobile phones, a ladies handbag and an Ecobank cheque book at Assin Akropong.

Chief Inspector Azasoo further disclosed that two suspects, namely James Kweku Acheampong and Nyamson were arrested by the Foso Police.

Smith, who stood surety for Nyamson, now at large, was therefore arraigned to enable him produce the suspect.

DAILY GUIDE gathered at press time that NPP regional executives had been tasked by Madam Benyiwa-Doe to produce and give back the said money to the Regional Co-ordinating Director, Micheal Essandoh, before the case would be resolved.   

The Regional Minister had earlier explained on radio that she would no longer pursue the case on condition that the NPP regional executives apologized to her and returned the alleged stolen money.

It would be recalled that based upon a complaint of robbery lodged to the police by the Regional Minister, the Assin North Constituency Chairman of NPP, Fiifi Baako, was also arrested last week Tuesday by the Central Regional Police Command to assist with investigations into the alleged robbery and was released that same day.

Mr. Baako, who reported to the police on that day around 10.00am, was detained till 5.00pm and granted a GH¢5,000 bail to report at the station on Wednesday at 2.00pm.

In a bizarre twist suspected to have been based on 'orders from above', he was re-arrested and dispatched to court.

The Cape Coast Circuit court, presided over by Berexford Acquah, however granted him bail for GH¢3,000 and ordered him to re-appear on April 1, after being charged with abetment of crime, to which he pleaded not guilty.

Two other accomplices, James Kweku Acheampong and Julius Nyamson, both businessmen, were also charged with robbery.

Lawyer for Baako, Rev. Ato Mills Graves, said his client was innocent.

From Sarah Afful, Cape Coast

body-container-line