Court declines to hear case of alleged arsonists

 June 26, 2013 (Page 29)

The Adjabeng District Court on June 25, 2013 declined jurisdiction to hear the case of two alleged arsonists who were put before it. According to the presiding judge, Mrs Emelia Abruquah, the charges levelled against the two accused persons were beyond the jurisdiction of the court, for which reason it would be inappropriate for the court to hear their case.
As a result of the court’s decision, Yakubu Tahiru, 28, and Fatau Ibrahim, 22,  were whisked away by security officials, while their lawyer, Mr Majeed Amandi, is up in arms against the state for holding his clients beyond the legally mandated 48 hours.
The charges levelled against the accused persons, who are younger brothers of Mr Amandi, were not read in open court, but Mr Amandi disclosed that they were being held for causing unlawful damage, which he said “obviously points to the recent fire outbreaks in the country”.
Counsel said the accused persons had been in custody since last Tuesday, “and yet fires are still breaking out in the country”.
“Who is responsible for these fires?” he asked.
“My clients are innocent. The wrong people have been picked up. These are young innocent persons who are being held for doing no wrong,” he protested.
He expressed the hope that his clients would be put before the appropriate court for the charges levelled against them to be read in open court, so that the defence team would be in a position to ask for bail on their behalf.
Mr Amandi stressed his resolve to fight for bail for the two, who were among four persons initially picked up.
According to him, the two others were granted police enquiry bail, leaving Tahiru and Ibrahim.
Counsel said it was currently not clear which court would try his clients in the coming days but stated that he was considering the next line of action to take to secure bail for them.