Bawku chieftaincy clashes: Accused granted bail
The High Court in Accra has granted bail to the 12 accused persons arrested for their involvement in the renewed chieftaincy clashes in Bawku.
The accused persons, are Issahaku Barkin, Samuel Abduo Rahman, Seidu Mohammed Saani, Richard Amevor, Nantogma Kwami and Iddrisu Shaibu.
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The rest are Namaw Osman Nabia, Inusah Belko, Abdulai Gboo, Abdulai Nangbon Dana, Naa Tampuri and Dr Samuel Burgri.
They have formally been charged with two counts of unlawful assembly with weapons and offensive conduct conducive to the breach of the peace after they were previously denied bail by an Accra Circuit Court last Wednesday.
Bail
The accused person were granted bail following a bail application by their lawyers.
They have been granted bail in the sum of GH¢ 20,000 each with one surety after pleading not guilty to the charges.
The case has been adjourned to February 12 this year.
Brief facts
The brief facts of the case, according to the prosecution were that, during the month of November 2021, the Police had information that the Regent of Mamprusi, the Bawku Naa, Adam Ibrahim Zangbe and his elders were preparing to perform the funeral rites of their late chief Alhai Adam Zangheogo and subsequently enskin a new chief, an event which was likely to occasion n breach of the peace since there is already a chief in Bawku.
The prosecution said, the plan by the accused persons to perform the funeral of the late chief heightened tension in the town.
Order
It said, the Police therefore sought an Order from the District Court to restrain the chief and his elders from organizing the funeral rites of the late chief Alhaji Adam Zangbeogo in order to keep the peace.
The Police prosecution said, served the Order on the chief and his elders.
According to the prosecution, in order to “further control the tension and security situation at Bawku, on 22nd December 2021, the Minister for the Interior by an Executive Instrument renewed the curfew imposed on the Bawku municipality and its environs in the Upper East Region from 8:00pm to 5:00am effective the same day Notwithstanding the security measures put in place as well as the restraining order from the court.”
Irrespective of this measure, the prosecution said, “on December 26 and 27, 2021, the accused persons and others at large, armed with offensive weapons, and in violation of the curfew and order from the court, assembled at the premises of the Mamprusi Regent’s Palace between 3:00am and 10.00am each day to perform the funeral rites of the late chief, with the view to enskin a new chief in contravention of the court order.
“The abusive conduct exhibited by the accused persons was resisted by some residents of the Bawku community which culminated into sporadic shooting within the community”.