High Court grants 13 Delta Force members bail
The thirteen Delta Force members facing trial for assaulting the Ashanti Regional National Security liaison officer have been granted bail by the Kumasi High Court.
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The High Court 5, presided over by Justice Obiri Yeboah on Wednesday morning said, the 13 accused persons should each go home on a GH¢10,000 bail with two justified sureties for each person.
According to Graphic Online's Donald Ato Dapatem, the court said the sureties should be residents of Kumasi and that the accused persons should report to the police every week.
The 13 accused persons are part of a total of 21 members of the Delta Force group with links to the New Patriotic Party (NPP)
They are said to have led their group to attack the Ashanti Regional National Security Liaison Officer, Mr George Agyei in March this year, and removed him from his office at the Ashanti Regional Coordinating Council (ARCC).
Their argument was that, Mr Agyei was not known to them and that they would want President Akufo-Addo to appoint someone they could relate to as security liaison officer.
The police are still looking for the remaining eight who are on the run.
Circuit Court
On Thursday April 6, the 13 were charged at the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly Circuit Court with conspiracy to commit crime, assault on a public officer, causing unlawful damage and preventing a public officer from performing his lawful duties.
The court presided over by Mary Nsenkyire remanded them in prison custody for two weeks to reappear on Thursday April 20, 2017.
Chaos
After the circuit court remanded them, there was pandemonium as their supporters attacked the court and the midst of the confusion, the 13 escaped but later surrendered to the police.
They were on Monday charged for escaping from lawful custody, they pleaded guilty and were convicted accordingly and fined Ghc2400 each.
But before they reappeared at the KMA circuit court on April 20 for the substantive case, they applied for bail at the High Court on Wednesday and the court granted their application.
Aiding the escape
In another development, eight other persons, said to be members of the Delta Forces and who have been accused of aiding the escape of the 13 from lawful custody on April 6 were on Monday charged for aiding the escape.
They have been remanded in prison custody to reappear on Tuesday April 18, 2017.
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