FLASHBACK: Some of the arrestsed protesters
The office of the Attorney General has dropped charges against four more persons arrested during a demonstration organised by ‘Democracy Hub’ against illegal mining in Accra.
This brings to 11, the total number of persons who have so far been dropped from the trial, leaving 43 persons who are still in court for their alleged involvement in the chaotic demonstration.
The four who were discharged yesterday included Cedric Bansah, Emmanuel Offei, Nana Amo Mensah Prempeh and Thomas Yeboah.
The trial will however, proceed against Oliver Barker-Vormawor, one of the leaders of the demonstration, who is part of this batch of accused persons, together with eight others.
Nana Ama Adinkra, a Senior State Attorney, yesterday told a Circuit Court in Accra that the prosecution was dropping charges against four more of the accused persons, although she did not provide the court with any reasons.
The presiding judge, Kwabena Kodua Obiri-Yeboah, subsequently discharged the accused persons.
Trial
Fifty-four (54) persons were charged with offences including unlawful assembly, unlawful damage, offensive conduct conducive to breach of peace, assault on a public officer and defacement of public property, while Oliver Barker-Vormawor was separately charged with stealing a key from a police vehicle and throwing it away.
The demonstration, which began on September 21, 2024, became chaotic on September 22 with some of the protesters caught on video defacing billboards and political party paraphernalia, while others were caught in an altercation with police officers sent to the scene to maintain law and order.
Oliver Barker-Vormawor was caught on video removing the key from a police vehicle and throwing it away during the chaotic moment.
They all pleaded not guilty to the charges, and their lawyers took turns to plead with the court to grant the accused persons bail.
They were initially remanded into custody, but the Circuit Court as well as the High Court later granted all the accused persons bail.
The discharge of the 11 now leaves 43 people who are still standing trial for their alleged involvement in the chaotic demonstration.
BY Gibril Abdul Razak