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A High Court in Ho has dismissed a case brought against the state by lawyers of Homeland Study Group Foundation (HSGF), a separatist group based in Ho in the Volta Region.
Justice Eric Baah, who presided over the court, dismissed the Habeas Corpus application filed by the lawyers on grounds that the accused had been put before a competent court of jurisdiction.
He said the whereabouts of the suspects were known contrary to assertions by the lawyers.
On Monday, May 6, 2019, a day after eight members of the separatist group were arrested and flown to Accra, their lawyers filed the Habeas Corpus application.
One of the lawyers, Eric Emile Agbakpe, said they filed the application to give the state the opportunity to justify the arrest and detention of the eight men, including their leader, 85-year-old Charles Kormi Kudzodzi, also known as Papavi Hogbedetor.
The state had four days to respond to the application which was due last Thursday, May 9, 2019.
However, the state put the eight suspects before an Accra High Court on Wednesday, May 8, 2019.
They were charged with treason, abetment of unlawful assembly and offensive conduct to breach peace.
Seven of the suspects were remanded while 85-year-old Kudzodzi was granted bail in the sum of GH¢250,000 with two sureties, one to be justified.
They are to reappear on May 22, 2019.
Lawyer Agbakpe disclosed that he had no problem with the dismissal of the case because the state hurriedly hauled them before a court.
He said his clients are law-abiding citizens, who have no intention whatsoever to cause harm or disturb the peace in the country.
He urged the media to be circumspect with the reportage of the sensitive matter. Â
From Fred Duodu, Ho (k.duodu@yahoo.com)