Western Togoland case adjourned to April 20 over coronavirus restrictions

The Kaneshie District Court presided over by Her Worship Ama Adomako Kwakye has adjourned the case in which some 22 persons have been held for treason in the Western Togoland issues to April 20, 2021.

In court on Monday, the accused persons were not brought to court following the recent directives on Covid-19 by Chief Justice Kwasi Anin Yeboah.

Even though the prosecution was present, lawyers of the accused persons were absent as the court adjourned the case.

Respect rights of all manner of persons

At the last court date, the Kaneshie District Court issued a stern warning to police investigators to “respect the rights of all manner of persons they come into contact within the cause of the duty.”

The court said, “the police must exercise professionalism as officers” when dealing with people.

The court warned that it will not countenance any form of harassment meted out to accused persons and their relatives who are subjects Leah actions.

The court issued this caution when some 22 accused persons who have been arraigned in connection with the Western Togoland saga appeared and complained that some of their relatives were being harassed.

On Wednesday, January 27, when the accused persons were put before the court, Justice Srem-Sai, one of the legal representation of the accused persons, drew the court’s attention to some harassment of relatives of the accused persons who were before the court.

According to the lawyer, officers who have been asked to guard the accused persons arrested one of their relations who has been coming to court regularly to observe proceedings.

He said, the said relation like others, have not been offered the opportunity to speak to the accused persons and also never given the chance to get to them whenever the court had adjourned the case.

Justice Srem-Sai said the court has the power to bring sanity, respect for law and justice including the unwarranted arrest of one Alex Adzah on the premises of the court after the previous sitting on January 11.

He, therefore, prayed the court to issue a stern warning to the officers handling the case to stop harassing the innocent family people on grounds that the country of law such as Ghana, no one including their commander is above the law.

What happened?

The leader of the investigators in the case Detective Inspector Samuel Agyarkwa who was asked to explain to the court what occurred after the last Court sitting did so.

According to him, the police have information that a particular young man comes to court in all the cases at the Circuit Courts and the District Court and after proceedings, that individual will post whatever happened in court on a platform belonging to a particular Whatsapp group called ‘Western Togoland for Restoration.’

He told the court that, a description of the person was given to the police and the said gentleman was picked up.

“We tried to find out from him about his mission in court and said he is a relation to one of the accused persons that come to court. We made him understand why we were interrogating him. He denied the allegation.

“We wanted to find out on his phone but he didn’t allow us. We took him to the office for further directives. At the office, he explained the reason for coming to court and he was released,” Detective Chief Inspector Agyarkwa told the court.

He, therefore, denied the allegation of harassment saying “he was not harassed. In the course of our work, if a person resisted arrest, then we handcuffed the person.”

Prosecution

Prosecution led by Inspector Lawrence Adjei Anane who was holding brief for substantive prosecutor Richard Amoah, who he said has been hospitalized at the Police Hospital, said he would communicate the sentiment to his unit head.

He explained that this morning on his way to court, he was ambushed by a call from the substantive prosecutor to hold brief for him due to ill-health.

According to him, he does not have the slightest idea of the said incident which was said to have happened at the last court sitting.

He, however, added that he will communicate to the unit commander to enable him address the sentiment and concerns once and for all.

He told the court that, accused persons have the right to talk to their relatives even at the detention centres and at the Court premises so as the accused person relatives also have the rights to talk to the accused persons.

He said, the accused persons have rights not to be harassed and rights to be talked to and not restricted.

He, therefore, prayed the court to adjourn the case and assured that the matters raised would be addressed.

The investigator told the court that the case docket was being prepared to be sent to the Attorney General’s office for advice.

Meanwhile, prayers by lawyers of the accused persons for the court to struck out the case and discharge the accused persons for lack of jurisdiction has been declined.

The 22 accused persons which include the alleged fake lawyer Benson Sayrem have been remanded into custody.

They are on charges including treason felony.