Twenty three members of a so-called secessionist group claiming to fight for a state called ‘Western Togoland’ in the Volta Region were yesterday hauled before a Kaneshie Magistrate Court in Accra for committal proceedings to be held.
They are facing multiple charges of treason felony, conspiracy, rioting with weapons, stealing and participating in meeting of prohibited group among others.
The suspects are among a group of people who allegedly stormed the Aveyime and Mepe police stations in the Volta Region, overpowered police officers and made away with weapons, ammunitions, a police patrol vehicle and other personal effects.
Their lawyer, George Asameni, tried to secure bail for them arguing that the fact that the prosecution asked the court not to take the plea did not prevent the court from granting them bail.
He stated that the accused persons were arrested as far back as September and wonders why the prosecution has still not concluded their investigations.
The prosecution led by Sergeant Richard Amoah opposed the application for bail, arguing that the police were still investigating the matter and pointed out that some of the charges were not within the jurisdiction of the court.
The court, presided over by Ama Adomah Kwakye, after listening to both sides, held that she did not have the power to grant bail in four of the charges which all the 23 accused persons are facing.
She, therefore, urged the lawyer to go to the ‘right’ court to reapply for bail for his clients and urged the prosecution to be fast with its investigations into the matter before adjourning the case to November 17.
Per the facts, the accused persons had planned to ‘secede’ from Ghana and pursuant to that had divided themselves in various groups to carry out their plans.
On September 25, one of the groups including the accused persons, while armed went to the Aveyime and Mepe police station where they overpowered police officers on duty.
The accused persons then went into the police station’s armoury and stole 17 AK47 assault rifles, five pump action guns, one shot gun, 3 SMG rifles, 11 rubber bullets, 25 rounds of 37mm tear gas cartridges, about 300 rounds of AK47 ammunitions and a police patrol vehicle at the Aveyime police station.
They also allegedly broke into the rooms of officers and made away with their personal properties including monies.
Another group including the accused persons also blocked vehicular movement on busy highways close to Juapong on the Accra-Ho highway as well as the Accra-Aflao highway.
They were arrested separately on different days and some of the stolen items were retrieved from them.
BY Gibril Abdul Razak