Ex-deputy minister arraigned before tribunal

Elmina (Central Region) - Sam Pee Yalley, a deputy minister in the past government, and four women from Ampenyi near Elmina were on Thursday granted a total of 13 million cedis bail by a community tribunal at Elmina when they appeared before it for allegedly vandalising the chief's palace at Ampenyi on Tuesday night. Yalley was granted five million cedis bail and the women two million cedis bail each. In the dock with them were 21 other men who were remanded in custody. Their pleas were not taken and they will all re-appear on Thursday 17 October. Chief Inspector Keward Adjei told the tribunal that the chiefs and people of the town held a meeting last Monday to deliberate on issues affecting their well-being at which Yalley and the other suspects were present. He said at the said meeting, the youth accused their chief, Nana Techie Akyin IV, of burying 'juju' in the town but Nana Akyin denied this accusation. However, one of the women at the meeting insisted that she saw the chief burying 'juju' and that she could lead them to where it was buried. Chief inspector Adjei said the following day at about 1600 hours the woman led some of the youth to dig up the 'juju' and took it to the chief's palace to confront him with it but he was not in. He alleged that the chief's absence infuriated the people who went on the rampage and vandalized the palace, and in the process, destroyed some stools and personal effects including a refrigerator. He said following the incident, Nana Akyin has taken refuge at Elmina, and that some policemen have been dispatched to the town.