Banda in court for threat of death

By William Yaw Owusu

Thursday July 5. 2007
KOFI Otchere-Darko, a radio presented popularly called KOD yesterday told an Accra Fast track High Court that Haleem Banda, son of Alhaji Asuma Banda, a business magnate threatened o kill him at a night club by pointing a gun at him.


The accused gave me a blow and on my way down, he fired three warning shots after which he again pointed the gun first at my neck and then at my head amid insults."

Mr. Otchere-Darko was testifying in the case in which Haleem Banda has been arraigned before the court for threatening to kill the witness and his friend, Emmanuel Kiki Banson.

Haleem, who is currently in police custody, pleaded not guilty to four counts of threat of death and possession of arms and ammunition without authority.

The police said Haleem, manager of Ports Handling Company on June 10, went to a night club at Cantonments in Accra and threatened to kill Otchere-Darko and Banson.

Led in evidence by Mrs. Stella Badu, a Senior State Attorney, Mr. Otchere-Darko who is the fist prosecution witness told the court that the complainants were at the night club when Haleem, without any provocation insulted Banson and threatened Banson's friend with death.

Mr. Otchere-Darko said when he enquired from Haleem the reason for his outbursts he angrily asked him to shut up.

"We subsequently stepped out of the club but within 20 minutes, Haleem came at us with more insults."

"I told him not to disrespect me because he did not know me from anywhere but in the process he gave me a blow and on my way down I heard three gunshots. He later pointed the weapon first at my neck and later at my head," Otchere-Darko further narrated.

The witness said, Haleem then left him and followed Banson into the night club with the gun and after some minutes came back and sped off, adding "he almost knocked me down when leaving the scene."

Cross-examined by Mr. Agbesi Dzakpasu, counsel for Haleem, witness told the court that it was a traumatic experience and whatever he told the court was not an after thought.

Next in the witness box was Sameul Lankwei, a security/bouncer at the night club. He told the court that he saw Haleem with the gun and heard three gunshots.

"I heard three gunshots at the car park and saw people running for cover. I saw Banson enter the night club and saw Haleem follow with a gun but when I tried to question him about the weapon, he asked me to leave him alone.

"I followed him to notify my colleague who was inside the club to keep an eye on Haleem and in the process, I overheard the accused say 'where is he'.

Under cross-examination, he told the court that he was not at where the gun was fired but saw the accused with the gun.

When Sly Abugabi, also a security/bouncer took his turn, he told the court that he saw Haleem with a gun and the accused shouted "where is the bastard. I will kill him, adding that he was looking for Banson.

"I followed Haleem around the club but he did not find Banson before the police came in by which time he had left."

The court, presided over by Justice B.T. Aryeetey of the Court of Appeal, adjourned proceedings for the prosecution to call the next set of witness.