Ghana's AG Takes Over Prosecution of Three Over Arms Smuggle to Country

The Office of the Attorney-General of the Republic of Ghana is to take-over the prosecution of three Ghanaians involved in the attempt to smuggle arms and ammunitions into Nigeria in January. The defence lawyer, Addo Atuah, dropped the hint yesterday shortly after the close of the matter at the Accra Circuit Court, where the suspects are standing trial. Atuah said the office of the Attorney-General had intimated the court and his law firm about the development prior to yesterday's sitting. At the resumption of the matter yesterday, neither the Prosecuting Police Officer, Deputy Superintendent of Police Randolph Agyemah nor the counsel representing the AG's office were in court. The accused persons, Kodjo Baffoe, Akwesi Asamoah and Kofi Aboagye were present in court. They looked unruffled as they appeared in the dock. Atuah, whose motion on notice for bail for the accused persons, had been pending since February 29, complained that the accused persons have been in police custody since January 10 when they were arrested. But he was told that he could not go ahead because no hearing notice have been served on the Attorney-General. The defence lawyer told the court that the office of the AG was unrepresented, even though it had hinted that it would be prosecuting the case henceforth. The court adjourned the matter to March 27.