The KMA Circuit Court in Kumasi yesterday adjourned hearing of the case involving 13 members of the Delta Force accused of assault and other charges, to June 15, 2017.
The decision to adjourn the case was reached because the Attorney General’s Department (AG), which is currently in possession of the docket of the case, has not finished studying it.
ACP Okyere Darko, the prosecutor, told the packed-to-capacity court that the AG’s Department was still studying the docket and so prayed the court to give a new date for the case to be heard.
The judge therefore granted the prosecutor’s plea by adjourning the case – which has become a major national issue with massive public attention.
Genesis Of Case
The 13 people, all males, are believed to be integral members of the Delta Force, a vigilante group, which is said to be linked to the New Patriotic Party (NPP).
They allegedly stormed the Regional Coordinating Council (RCC) in Kumasi last month and purportedly dragged George Adjei, who had just been appointed the Ashanti Regional Security Liaison Officer, from office.
The Delta Force members then vanished into thin air but they eventually surrendered themselves to the police after a recorded video of their invasion at the RCC went viral on social media.
The police initially granted them bail as they investigated the case, but the KMA court, presided over by Mary Senkyire, later remanded them for two weeks when they were brought to her court.
The 13 members were in the dock, waiting to be taken to the prison to start their sentence, when a group of people, also said to be members of the Delta Force, stormed the courtroom and forcibly set them free.
The 13 members, around midnight on that same day, surrendered themselves to the police again to start their two week-remand sentence. Eight people accused of setting them free were also nabbed and sent to court.
Lawyer’s View
Mathew Appiah, counsel for the accused persons, after leaving court yesterday, insisted that it would be extremely difficult for the prosecution to confirm all the charges that they had preferred against his clients.
According to him, about 200 people invaded the RCC on that fateful day to drag Mr. Adjei from his office; therefore it would be impossible for the prosecution to know if the accused persons were among of the attackers.
Sounding confident, Mr. Appiah noted that the prosecution lacked strong evidence to convict all the 13 people, stating that he had strong belief that his clients would eventually walk out freely after the hearing of the case.
He had no option but to file a nolle prosequi which was granted by the judge who then discharged the suspects.
The discharge has been condemned by a section of Ghanaians, especially the minority, who have accused the government of pandering to political pressure.
The Ghana Bar Association (GBA) has joined in the criticisms, saying it is disturbed by the turn of events but hopes it will not signal the end of the matter.
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