Kofi Jumah�s Counsel Challenges Evidence Of Police

Mr Appiah Twumasi Ankrah, the counsel for a former Member of Parliament (MP) for Asokwa, Mr Kofi Jumah, has challenged the evidence tendered in by the prosecution to support its claims that the accused tore the photo album being used by the Electoral Commission for the primaries of the New Patriotic Party. Detective Chief Inspector Emmanuel Kyei Sarpong told the court, presided over by Mrs Afia Adu-Amankwah, that he saw Mr Maxwell Kofi Jumah tear the photo album being used by the commission officers for the elections and tendered some of the torn leaflets from the album as evidence. Evidence Appearing as the second witness for the prosecution, Chief Inspector Sarpong told the court that he was part of the team of policemen detailed to provide security at the venue for the parliamentary primaries and also part of the arresting team. He further told the court that he was the one who picked the torn leaflets from the ground and handed them to the EC officials. According to him, he saw Mr Jumah rush onto the podium, wrest the photo album from the EC official and tore them into pieces. However, the lawyer for the accused persons challenged the evidence of the prosecution, claiming that there were no traces of the fingerprints of his client to prove that �he tore the album.� Mr Twumasi Ankrah further challenged the assertions of the prosecution that the photo album belonged to the EC. According to him, �the contestants are billed for all the materials used for the election� and as such, could not be said to be the properties of the EC, saying, �my client did not tear any booklet belonging to the EC.� While admitting that the police did not take the fingerprints of the accused person, Mr Sarpong maintained that �it was the accused person who tore the photo album into pieces.� Adjournment The case was later adjourned to September 24, 2015. Background The former MP for Asokwa, Mr Jumah, and his aide, Oscar Riches, were arrested on June 13, 2015 at the Ahinsan Youth Centre during the constituency parliamentary primary election for causing damage to electoral materials and also resisting arrest. Change in charge At the last hearing, the prosecution changed the charge from a second degree felony to a misdemeanour. Mr Jumah was initially charged for causing unlawful damage contrary to Section 172 (b) of Criminal Offences Act 1960 (Act 29), which is a second degree felony offence. However, the Attorney General (AG) advised that the charge be maintained but should be on sub section (a), which is misdemeanour.