Wednesday, June 30, 2010

The Ya-Na murder - Court declines bail for ex-DCE

June 17, 2010 (Page 3 Lead)

THE Adjabeng District Magistrate Court on June 16, 2010 declined to grant bail to the former District Chief Executive (DCE) of Yendi, Mohammed Habib Tijani, who has been accused of playing a role resulting in the murder of the King of Dagbon, Ya-Na Yakubu Andani II and a number of his elders.
The court was of the view that it was premature for defence counsel, Mr John Ndebugre, to plead for bail for the accused person.
Counsel had argued that the former DCE was being held illegally by the prosecution because he had not been formally charged with any offence.
However, the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), prayed the court to give the prosecution two weeks to prepare a fresh bill of indictment and summary of evidence which would include the DCE.
The court accordingly remanded the DCE and six others to reappear on June 28, 2010.
The other accused persons are Iddrisu Iddi alias Mbadugu, 76, Alhaji Baba Abdulai Iddrisu, 56, Mohammed Abdulai alias Samasama, 57, Sayibu Mohammed, 34 and Alhassan Braimah, 40.
A seventh accused person, Yidani Sugri, 42, has also been granted bail in the sum of Gh¢10,000 with one surety by the Human Rights Court which indicated that the prosecution had failed to give details why it was holding Sugri who had been charged with one count of illegally organising military training.
Meanwhile, the prosecution on Monday dropped charges against Yakubu Mohammed Alhassan, 42, who was also accused of playing a role in the murder of the Ya-Na.
The DPP also announced that the prosecution had stepped down charges against two other namely Mohammed Kojo and Abubakar Yakubu.
The two were accordingly granted bail in the sum of GH¢10,000 each with two sureties each and ordered to report to the police once a month until otherwise directed by the court.

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