NDC 'Killer' In Prison
THE SUSPECTED Sankore killer and staunch member of the ruling National Democratic Congress, , will again spend the next three weeks in prison following the refusal of a Sunyani District Magistrate Court to grant him bail.
In his second appearance in court on Tuesday, his counsel's plea for the court to grant him bail was over-ruled by the prosecutor who said the case is a high-profile one, and needs to be thoroughly investigated. The court, in effect, remanded the accused into prison custody, to re-appear on October 6.
In his submission, the counsel for the suspected killer said the accused was innocent of the charges against him since no gun has been retrieved from him. Counsel further noted that at the time of the alleged incident, the accused was not holding any gun; therefore his arrest was politically-motivated.
, 22, is standing trail for his involvement in the killing of an innocent evangelist, Kwame Nyame, on July 19 this year at Sankore in the Asunafo South District of the Brong Ahafo Region, during what has been described as a politically-motivated attack on their political opponents; mainly members of the opposition New Patriotic Party.
The NDC hoodlum was arrested about a month ago at the Sakumono residence of the Deputy Brong Ahafo Regional Minister, Eric Opoku, after he attempted to escape arrest.
Before his arrest, had been on the police wanted list for quite some time. He, along with other accomplices, now at large, carried out the gruesome assaults on the perceived members of the NPP at Sankore and its environs; which subsequently killed the evangelist while he was returning from a church service.
The Brong Ahafo Deputy Regional Minister, Eric Opoku, was a parliamentary candidate on the ticket of the ruling party in the area in the last elections but lost to the incumbent MP, George Boakye.
The Sankore area has not known peace since the assumption of power by the Mills administration, as the area has been characterized by political harassment cases against members of the opposition.
Meanwhile, the Omanhene of the Sankore Traditional Area, Okogyeade Yaw Adusei II, has called on his people and all political parties to co-exist peacefully to ensure accelerated development of the area.
According to Okogyeade Yaw Adusei, he feels ashamed as Omanhene of the area because of the continuous violence among his people. He said without unity and peace, there is no way the area can enjoy any development.
Addressing a section of the media on Monday at Sankore, the chief debunked the allegation that he is in favour of one the political parties, saying, “As chief I support any government in power to ensure development of my area”.
The Omanhene expressed regret that the youth of the area are being used for violence and charged them to rather channel their energy into profitable ventures.
In his view, the cause of the protracted violence in the area is more of chieftaincy disputes than politics.
“I believe the problem in my area has to do with chieftaincy more than politics. Some people who do not want me as chief are fomenting trouble just to discredit my reign and they are only using political colours to confuse the public”, he noted.
The Omanhene therefore called on his people not to allow politics or chieftaincy to divide them since that would have negative consequences on the development of the area.
From Fred Tettey Alarti-Amoako, Sunyani