The family of Wasihu Iddrisu, a member of ‘Taskforce’, a vigilante group affiliated to the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), who was shot and killed by a member of another NDC vigilante group called ‘The Hawks’, has caused ‘commotion’ in court for the second time.
The angry family members yesterday attacked a relation of one of the Hawks, who have been arraigned before the Asokwa Magistrate Court in Kumasi in connection with the gruesome murder of Wasihu.
Threatening the Judge
Wasihu’s family also threatened the presiding judge, Abass Adams, and cast aspersions.
Evans Amankwa, counsel for Dauda Ibrahim, aka Wayo, 40; Samuel Agyin, aka Rock, 32, and Abdul Ganiyu, aka Petit, 37, was ‘detained’ for hours in the courtroom to save him from the angry NDC members who had threatened to teach him a “lesson” for praying the court for bail for his clients.
The confusion began outside the courtroom moments after the magistrate asked the police to arrest those engaging in rowdy behaviour at the precinct of the court, which had heightened tension.
The family members of the slain NDC man started raining insults on the presiding judge as soon as he directed the police to arrest them.
They threatened to deal with him and attacked friends and other people accompanying the suspects.
Onlookers, court staff and journalists run to safety until police reinforcement brought the situation under control.
During the maiden court appearance on March 5, the family members almost attacked Evans Amankwa, lawyer for the three heavily-built ‘Hawks’ members, for defending people they considered to be ‘murderers.’
No Bail
Later the three suspects were denied bail by the court.
The Magistrate directed counsel of the accused to pray the High Court for bail for the accused persons if he wishes to do so.
An arrest warrant for 11 other suspects, who are currently at large, was also upheld by the Magistrate’s Court which reiterated its call on the police to arrest unruly people at the precinct of the court.
The other suspects are Abdul Bari Mohammed, aka Warrior; Midjima, Abu Taliban, Saani Mohammed, aka Commando, Gyafaru, aka Element, Fuseini, aka Jah Rule, Demos, Fayiz and Suleiman, aka Akon.
They were among 12 persons earlier declared wanted by the Ashanti Regional Police Command for their alleged involvement in the fatal shooting of Wasihu on Monday, February 18, 2019, at the NDC’s regional office in Kumasi.
The suspects were also said to have shot and injured a top member of the NDC Taskforce, Abdul Rahman, aka West, who is currently receiving treatment at the hospital.
The warrant was issued when prosecutor, ACP Okyere Darko, put in the request after substituting the charge sheet to include two other suspects who were not part of those initially declared wanted by the police.
The accused persons turned themselves in after a week-long manhunt by the police on the advice of their counsel.
<<Print>>