The suspects of the May 17 Madina demonstration, which led to a section of the youth destroying property and assaulting two police officers, were on Monday granted bail at the Accra Circuit Court presided over by Justice Eric Kyei Baffuor.
The 20 accused persons were granted a GH�8,000 bail each with two sureties each upon the plea by a group of lawyers led by Mr George Asamaney, who pleaded that the charges of the accused persons were bail-able and that the accused were probably on-lookers who were arrested in the heat of events.
All the accused persons pleaded not guilty to the 11 charges, which include conspiracy to commit crime, rioting with weapons, unlawful assembly to provoke the breech of peace, causing unlawful damage to vehicles and properties and assaulting two police officers.
Alhaji Huudu Yahaya, who is part of the team of lawyers for the accused persons, added his voice to the plea for bail and said the suspects, who had pleaded not guilty could be indeed not guilty and had come to court with respectable persons in the community to back them.
Deputy Superintendent of Police Kofi Blagodzi, the prosecutor, giving the facts of the case, said on May 16, 2011, the Police received a complaint from the assistant Headmaster of Faith Community Baptist School that a section of the Madina youth were planning to embark on a demonstration about a piece of land owned by the school.
He said the next day a team of policemen led by Chief Inspector K. Boadu went to the site to ensure peace. He said the youth started throwing stones at the police and in the process entered the school�s premises and destroyed properties and also vehicles belonging to one Moses Nortey as well as vehicles belonging to the Ghana Police service.
They also assaulted two police men.
A section of the Madina Community, who were in the court to support the accused persons, cheered the lawyers and the accused persons after they had been granted bail.
The court fixed June 14 for the next hearing.
<<Print>>