Three persons who disrupted the celebration of yam festival at James Town in Accra have been jailed nine months each.
They are Naa Akushia Codjoe self-employed, Nii Asharku Ayiku III, a fisherman, Nii Armah Koti Akuabeng, a traditional ruler.
This was after the court presided over by Emmanuel Essandoh had found them guilty on the charge of conspiracy and stealing.
Nii Akuabeng would serve 18 months imprisonment on the charge of causing unlawful damage. His sentence is to run concurrently.
David Nii Amoh a fisherman, was however discharged by the court.
The court further ordered that a pregnancy test to be conducted on Naa Akushia.
The court will on May 21, this year, obtain the results of the pregnancy test and COVID-19 test on two other convicts.
On April 19, this year, the Court ordered the arrest of four accused persons for failing to appear before it. The Court also ordered the Police to go after the accused persons’ sureties in case they did not get the accused persons.
The Court ordered the arrest when the accused persons absented themselves although the Court had fixed April 19, this year to deliver its judgement.
Three accomplices –Asafoastse Kofi Kraa, one Otega and Iddi are at large.
Nii Shipi Adama, was recently nabbed and put before another court by the police.
The case of Inspector Eric Pobi is that the complainant, Numoo Bordaii, was a spiritualist residing in the palace of Nii Kweikuma, at Anumansa in James Town, Accra.
The prosecution said the four accused persons resided at Chorkor and James Town.
Inspector Pobi said there was a pending chieftaincy dispute between the complainant and others on one side against the accused persons and one Nii Apleh Otoo, rival of Chief Nii Kweikuma IV, at a law court.
The prosecution said due to the dispute, there had been several attacks on the palace of Nii Kweikuma IV, the current Chief of Anumansa Division in James Town.
It said on July 27, 2015, at about 5:30 pm, Nii Kweiman bought a cow and placed same in front of his palace and mounted canopies and arranged a number of plastic chairs in preparation of the Yam Festival for Banafo Baakan, the High priestess of Anumansa Division.
Inspector Pobi said the accused persons who were opposed to the celebration of the Yam Festival, hatched a plan to disrupt the celebration and allegedly went to the Old Slaughter House at James Town and recruited Asafoatse Kofi Kraa aka Asafotse Jones, Otega and eight others.
The prosecution said Nii Armah Akuabeng I drove his unregistered private car to the scene and caused damage to 152 plastic chairs and two canopies.
It said the accused persons untied the cow and took it away.
Prosecution said a report was made to the Police and the accused persons were arrested.
GNA