Members of the group leaving the court premises
The Ho high court has adjourned the case involving the state and three members of a Ho-based separatist group – the Homeland Study Group Foundation – to April 11, 2017.
This followed a plea by the state prosecutor, Moses Asampoa, for the court to allow the police more time to conclude investigation into the case brought against the group’s founder, Charles Kormi Kudjordji, 93; Martin Asiamah Agbenu, 57 and Divine Odonkor, 65.
The three were put on trial for treason charges last week but were granted a GH¢50,000 bail each with two sureties to be justified. They were bailed by the presiding judge of the court, Justice Charles Agbevor, when they appeared before him on Thursday, 19th March, 2017. The case was subsequently adjourned to yesterday.
However, counsel for the accused persons, Mr. Atsu Agbakpe, was not enthused with the prosecution’s plea for more time, and also prayed the court to dismiss the case if the prosecution was not ready with evidence against his clients.
The prosecution also pleaded with the court to ban supporters of the group from wearing the said black ‘Western Togoland’ T-shirts for which the accused persons were standing trial.
But this was strongly objected to by Mr Atsu Agbakpe, who said such a ban would be undemocratic under the Constitution of Ghana.
Many supporters of the Homeland Study Group Foundation were in court and were wearing the alleged ‘treasonable’ T-shirts which have become a bone of contention.
Mr. Justice Charles Agbevor declined the motion of the prosecution, noting that though the shirt is no longer a mere T-shirt, but traceable to the case.
He however cautioned that, ‘anyone who wears the shirt does so at his own detriment.’
Mr. Justice Agbevor also advised both prosecution and defence counsel to be circumspect in their submissions in court so as not to spark any tension or agitations between the parties involved in the case.
Gibril Abdul Razak, Ho (gbabdulrazak@gmail.com)