Blows Over NDC Acid Man

THE PREMISES of the Fiapre Circuit Court near Sunyani was nearly turned into a boxing ring by two feuding factions in the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) on Monday. This was as a result of the release of Awuah Francis aka Bullocks, 24, who is believed to be an aide of the Wenchi Municipal Chief Executive (MCE), Yaw Osei Adjei. Bullocks is allegedly involved in an acid spraying case currently pending before the court. Hell broke loose on Monday after the court presided over by Benjamin Yaw Osei granted the second accused, Bullocks, bail. The prime suspect, Kwabena Kyeremeh, 18, was however remanded into custody to re-appear on April 12. The other faction, including the victim, Abubakari Mahama, who doubles as the Wenchi NDC Constituency Secretary, did not take the bail lightly and at the court premises, registered their displeasure about the ruling of the court. The irate NDC fans vowed to avenge the attack on the constituency secretary and further warned that they would make the area ungovernable if justice did not prevail. They did not understand why the MCE�s aide was granted bail when he was allegedly involved in the acid spraying attack on the constituency secretary. The few police personnel at the court had a tough time controlling the two factions, who nearly clashed. Prior to Bullocks� release, Abubakari Mahama had told the judge that his safety could not be guaranteed if the MCE�s aide was released. According to him, he lived in fear and could not even guarantee if he would be alive at the time of the next court sitting if the second accused was granted bail. According to the victim, the prime suspect, Kyeremeh, had confessed on tape to the Wenchi police that the MCE�s aide contracted him to commit the offence at a fee of GH�1,000. The complainant told the court that during investigations, Kyeremeh phoned Bullocks and told him that he had successfully completed the job, and the MCE�s aide asked him to come to his house for the GH�1,000. He said the MCE�s aide was arrested when the police went with Kyeremeh to his house for the money. While at the regional headquarters in Sunyani, Bullocks confessed that he had rather asked Kyeremeh to kill the constituency secretary. According to the victim, based on these facts he was of the view that the MCE�s aide was directly involved in the case and did not understand why he should be granted bail. However, the judge asked the complainant to exercise restraint because the trial would unfold all the facts as witnesses would be called to testify. He said the position of the law was such that when somebody was caught committing an offence and he mentioned the names of other people, unless there was incriminating evidence, the law did not attach much importance to those mentioned.