Eight out of the 12 persons allegedly involved in the deadly rioting in Nima last month have been granted a total of GH¢640,000 bail by an Accra Circuit Court.
The accused persons together with the others are facing three charges of conspiracy to riot with weapon, rioting with weapons as well as causing harm.
Abdul Gafaru Mahama, Ibrahim Moro aka Jalo, Atarouwa Bassam, Abdul Mumuni Gariba, Mohammed Saabi Barinu aka Namer, Bashiru Ganiru, Illiasu Salim and Issah Seidu were each granted a bail of GH¢80,000 with two sureties each by the court presided over by Her Honour Rosemary Tosu.
They are to report to the Nima Police Station twice every week and are to sign a bond to be of good behaviour.
Two others, Aziz Sulemen aka Rambo and Farouk Dawuda aka Omoni have been remanded as the prosecution led by Chief Inspector Dennis Terkpetey argued that they are key suspects in the matter and if granted bail they will interfere with investigations.
Ali Awudu aka Bombom and Ibrahim Hussain aka Kumodzi, who are said to be the gang leaders of the two rivals that clashed, are still at large and the police have obtained a bench warrant for their arrest.
Brief Facts
The amended brief facts of the case presented by Chief Inspector Terkpetey indicated that on January 18, 2022, at about 3pm, the police received information that there was an ongoing riot at a place called Nima Gutter and the rioters were using arms and other offensive weapons.
He said a team of armed police officers were quickly dispatched to the location where they saw a large crowd.
The court heard that Ali Awudu aka Bombom and Ibrahim Hussain aka Kumodzi’s names came up as the leaders of two groups and they were responsible for the riot, but the two had left the scene before the police arrived.
Chief Inspector Terkpetey told the court that Abdul Gafaru Mahama was arrested after he was identified to the police as one of the perpetrators.
He said a total of twelve (12) spent shells were retrieved at the scene and a barbering shop located a few metres was vandalised by the rioters.
The prosecutor narrated that “a search in the vandalised shop led to the discovery of three (3) AAA life ammunitions, one empty pistol magazine, one life pistol bullet, one knife and one machete. A victim, Frimpong, aged 53, who was about to move his car from the scene was hit by a bullet on his left shoulder and is currently responding to treatment at the Emergency Ward, 37 Military Hospital.”
He continued that Aziz Sulemen aka Rambo and Ibrahim Moro aka Gato who had gone to seek treatment at the Greater Accra Regional Hospital/Ridge were treated and discharged.
The court heard that Atarouwa Bassam, Abdul Mumuni Gariba, Mohammed Saabi Barinu aka Namer and Bashiru Ganiru, were arrested at the same hospital after they were identified to the police while intelligence also led to the arrest of Illiasu Salim And Issah Seidu at their hideout in Ashalajah, Accra and a search led to the discovery of a military uniform and pump action gun which have since been recovered.
He said on January 23, 2022, intelligence led to the arrest of Farouk Dawuda aka Omoni from his hideout at Polo Park near Kotoka International Airport and when a viral video of the incident was shown to him, he admitted that he is the one seen wielding machete at the crime scene.
The case has been adjourned to February 15.
BY Gibril Abdul Razak