Ya-Na's murder trial – State drops charges against four

Wednesday, May 19, 2010 (Page 3 Lead)

THE state has dropped charges against four of the nine persons accused of murdering the late King of Dagbon, Ya-Na Yakubu Andani II, and a number of his elders.
The names of the four are expected to be disclosed at the Adjabeng District Magistrate Court in Accra today where the remaining five are expected to be committed to the High Court for trial.
A Chief State Attorney, Mr Rexford Owiredu, disclosed this at the Human Rights Court in Accra yesterday after the court had declined to grant bail to eight of the accused persons.
They are Iddrisu Iddi, alias Mbadugu, 76; Alhaji Baba Abdulai Iddrisu, 56; Kwame Alhassan, 53; Mohammed Kojo, 45; Mohammed Abdulai, alias Samasama, 57; Sayibu Mohammed, 34; Yakubu Mahamadu, alias Anafo, 42 and Alhassan Braimah, 40.
A ninth accused person, Yidana Sugri, 42, was, however, granted bail in the sum of GH¢10,000 with one surety after the court, presided over by Mr Justice U.P. Dery, had indicated that the prosecution had failed to give details on why it was holding Sugri, who has been charged with one count of illegally organising military training.
According to Mr Owiredu, the bill of indictment and summary of evidence in the case were ready, for which reason the accused persons would be arraigned before the Magistrate Court today for their subsequent committal to the High Court for trial.
Earlier in its ruling on the bail application filed on behalf of the accused persons by their counsel, Mr Atta Akyea, the court held that the law did not allow bail for persons charged with murder and further argued that there had not been any unreasonable delay on the part of the prosecution, considering the fact that the accused persons had been arrested on April 10, 2010 and put before court on April 12, 2010, which fell within the law.
According to the judge, the trial had not even started and for that reason there was no basis for anyone to indicate that there had been an unreasonable delay.
The court also took into consideration the fact that the Attorney-General's Department had prepared the bill of indictment and summary of evidence of the case.
It, however, granted bail to Sugri on the grounds that the prosecution had failed to justify why he should continuously be held in detention.
As usual, family members and sympathisers of the accused persons thronged the court premises to lend their support to them.
The sympathisers hid their placards and brought them out in unison after security personnel had whisked the accused persons away.
Security personnel detailed to restore law and order thoroughly searched persons who entered the court premises with metal detectors to ensure that they did not carry weapons and other unauthorised materials into the courtroom.