5 persons involved in Adeiso shooting, robbery granted bail

Five accused persons who are Okyeman Environmental Taskforce members including two sub-chiefs involved in a shooting incident at Adeiso, have been granted bail of GHC200,000 with 2 sureties each after they were put before Koforidua Circuit Court, in the Eastern Regional capital.

The suspects were arraigned before the court on Friday, June 19, 2021, on charges of robbery, kidnapping, conspiracy to commit crime to wit kidnapping, possession of firearm, and causing harm.

The suspects, Nana Sarpong Baffuor Awuah, 59; Nana Barima Twum, 59; Jonathan Martey, 39; Eric Yaw Obeng, 49; and Victor Ahenkora Koranteng, 37 have been asked to reappear before the court on July 19, 2021.
The suspects last week, stormed the Tank Akuraa community near Adeiso, on several land-winning concessions and unleashed brutalities on some workers who had questioned and resisted their operations.

They reportedly kidnapped one Osae Kwame, a sand winner, and threw him into a Nissan Pick Up but was pursued by the youth who rescued him.
Later the taskforce members attacked the summer tide sand winning Company site at Obeng Yaw village, also near Adeiso, amidst the firing of guns and arrested five workers and shot two.
They reportedly shot the thigh and legs of two of the workers on duty who had questioned why they retrieved the over GHC96,000 from his accountant.

The victims are 25-year-old Razak Hassan and Bright Apaw, 30.

Police Encounter

The Police from Adeiso responded to distressed calls about the incidents but the Taskforce failed to stop when signaled by Police where they were given a hot chase but to no avail.

The angry community then mounted roadblocks and attacked the task force.

Sensing danger, Okyeman Mponuahene, Barima Twum Tabriade and Okyeman Akwansrahene went to the Adeiso police station to seek refuge in a Jeep Patriot SUV with registration number GS 9835-19 which had three tyres deflated.
But the angry youth and sand winners massed up at the Police station seeking the release of the two chiefs for instant justice.

A search in the Jeep SUV which belongs to Akwansrahene, Baffour Sarpong who also claims to be National Security Operative, contained one AK 47 assault rifle with 3 magazines and 7 Pump-action cartridges.

The five suspects including the two chiefs were whisked to Asamankese Divisional Headquarters by the reinforcement team where they were granted Police inquiry bail.

Victim Narrations

Samuel Atsu Forson, one of the persons whose concession was attacked explained that the suspects intimidated and extorted money from the workers.

He explained that they alerted the firm’s drivers, who blocked the main Adeiso road with their tipper trucks to aid the police and some residents in arresting the suspects.

Narrating the incident further, he said the police retrieved AK-47 assault rifles, ammunition, a pistol, police and military uniforms, and other accouterments when they searched their vehicles.

Court

They were, however, paraded before the court, presided over by Mercy Addai Kotei, where they pleaded not guilty to all the charges slapped on them by State Attorney Cyril Keteku.

Their plea for bail was admitted and granted bail of GH¢200,000 each with two sureties.

Daily Guide