A freed suspect hugs his family members
A MAGISTRATE Court in Tamale, presided over by Justice Amadu Seidu, has discharged three out of the six accused persons in the case involving the murder of a female police officer, Sergeant Agatha Nana Nabin.
This was based on a piece of advice from the Attorney General’s Department.
According to Inspector Victor Kwafo, a state prosecutor, the three accused persons — Mahama Nashiru, Samuel Atutiga and Hanan Alhassan alias Gurundoo — were discharged on grounds that prosecutors could not provide enough evidence against them.
The three other accused persons — Anas Issahaku, Zulika Abduallah and Issahaku Yakubu alias Kanbon-Naa — have, however, been remanded in prison custody to reappear on October 24, 2019.
The six remanded persons are to be charged with possession of ammunition without lawful authority, possession of arms without lawful authority and possession of military accoutrements without authority.
Lawyer Abdul Rauf, who represented Issahaku Yakubu, argued that regardless of his client’s possession of a locally manufactured gun, the weapon was known to be acceptable for use in festivities, for which reason his client could not be charged with it.
Mr. Rauf, therefore, accused the prosecutors of deliberately trying to delay the case with the fresh charges and pleaded with the court to discharge his client.
Sylvester Isang — counsel for both Anas Issahaku and Zulika Abdallah — pleaded with the court to grant his clients bail arguing that they would not run away. They have been charged with possessing of a single barrel gun.
Warning
Justice Seidu warned family members of the accused persons against going to court to confront court workers over the case.
He also advised prosecutors to take statements of the accused persons and send the statements to the Attorney General for advice before the next hearing date.
According to him, the Attorney General’s Department would bring a bill of indictment before the court would be able to determine the fate of the accused persons.
“In the event that the advice from AG takes a long time, I will discharge the accused persons and transfer them to the High Court,” he said.
The remaining three accused persons are standing trial in connection with the gruesome killing of Sergeant Agatha Nana Nabin at a checkpoint on the Kumbungu-Tamale road.
Some relatives and friends of the freed accused persons who besieged the court to show solidarity were seen jubilating and shouting on top of their voices on the premises of the court.
Military and police officers, however, took over the entire court premises as people trooped in to witness the proceedings while the accused persons were brought in for trial by a heavily armed police team.