Vigilantism: 7 Sisala West rioters remanded in prison custody
Seven persons were on Wednesday remanded in police custody by the Wa District Court for their alleged involvement in the violent rioting and lock-up of the office of the District Chief Executive (DCE) for Sissala West, Mr Mohammed Bakor.
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The pleas of Bukari Bramani, Alidu Mumuni, Mahamadu Porkaa, Wakika Sulemani, Sule Mohammed and Bimbie Lukman were not taken, as the prosecution asked for time for further investigations to enable it to arraign the accused and more than 100 others.
The seven were immediately handcuffed and driven to the Wa Prison to begin their one-week stay in custody on Thursday, October 26, 2017.
Before and during proceedings, the court was heavily guarded by about 40 armed policemen.
The accused had come to the court on their own volition after they had been served with summons.
The seven, according to the prosecutor, Chief Inspector D.Y. Yeboah, were among more than 100 people who besieged the premises of the Sissala West District Assembly in Gwolu and locked up the office of the DCE.
They have been charged with conspiracy to commit crime and rioting with offensive weapons.
Granting the request of the prosecution, the presiding judge, Mr Sydney Braimah, said he took into consideration the argument by the prosecution that the accused could impede investigations if not kept in custody.
He, however, asked the prosecution to present the accused to the court in just a week.
Before that, counsel for the accused, Mr Ubeide bin Sidiq, had argued that the facts, as presented by the prosecution, did not support the charges.
He said there was, therefore, no proper case before the court.
Counsel argued that even if the court would entertain the case, it would be proper to admit the accused to bail. But the court disagreed.
According to the prosecution, the police had mounted a search for the other accomplices.