Togo ‘Demo Gang’ Case Takes Long Break

An Accra Circuit Court has adjourned until January 9, 2018 the trial of the twenty-six Togolese nationals arrested for staging an unlawful demonstration over the political situation in their country.

This is because the court presided over by Ms. Pricilla Dapaah-Mireku is not the substantial judge to hear the case.

She explained that it was not right to start hearing the case meant for a judge she is relieving.

Lawyer for the accused persons, Godwin Tamakloe requested the court to grant a long adjournment in view of the uncertainty over when the trial would begin.

The court however, granted the adjournment.

The suspects including six girls and an 11-year-old boy were part of some 300 nationals from Togo, who had converged in Accra to protest over the political tension in their country.

It is the case of the prosecution led by Chief Inspector Evans Kese that the accused persons on October 28, 2017 at Kaukudi Park in Accra acted together with a common purpose to hold a public event without police notification.

All 26 are facing an additional charge of failing to notify the Police of a special event contrary to Section 1 of the Public Order Act.

The accused persons have been slapped with another charge of offensive conduct.

The accused persons have variously denied the charges each admitted to bail in the sum of GHC10,000, with one surety who must be gainfully employed.

The facts of the case are that on October 28 at about 9:15 am, the Greater Accra Police Command had information that some Togolese nationals and their Ghanaian counterparts dressed in red attire and headbands had converged at Kaukudi Park near Nima and started demonstrating against the government of Togo.

Some of the demonstrators were riding motorbikes recklessly on the Nima Highway, thereby posing security threat the public.

On the receipt of the information, the Police Regional Patrol Team were dispatched to the scene.

On seeing the Police, the demonstrators took to their heels but they were pursed and the accused persons were arrested.

They are Gbandi Muda, mason; Attati Yao, teacher; Kodjo Larbie, IT Professional; Suweba Alhassan, Trader; Fuseina Dzagba, Markeying Agent; Itchoko Matey, student; Najowa Masawudu, Tailor Apprentice; Selina Abubakar, Trader; Ndu Shaibu, seamstress apprentice and Mawan Alhassan, Tailor apprentice.

The rest are: Ayiba Kodjoe Bruno, trader; Harruna Amiriyao, Pure water producer; Faredu Ali, electrician apprentice; Razak Salifu, carpenter; Ichadjerin Awal, unemployed; Aziz Fuseini, motor mechanic; Alhassan Issah, steel bender, Alormasor Adi, electrician; Isaka Shaban, motor mechanic and Dodoye Yaw Wolassi, teacher.

The others are: Abdul Karim Ibrahim, driver; Mumuni Jawal, unemployed; Mubarak Abudu, mason; Abdulai Latif, steel bender; Jibril Mohammed, mason and Isaka Alilu, unemployed.

Source: Jeffrey De-Graft Johnson/ thePublisher