No show at Ya Na Trial

Security is always tight at the trail.

Posted on: www.dailyguideghana.com

By William Yaw Owusu

Thursday October 7, 2010
The Prosecution Witness (PW) who was supposed to testify yesterday at the trial of the 15 accused persons charged for the murder of Ya Na Yakubu Andani II, overlord of Dagbon did not up.

The trial has been running uninterrupted and the prosecution had promised that it was inviting its eighth witness (PW8) but ended up disappointing the court, compelling it to adjourn the case until tomorrow (Friday October 8, 2010).

On the Bill of Indictment the Attorney General’s Department has indicated that it intends to bring 14 witnesses to testify in the trial and already six witnesses have appeared in court to testify.

The prosecution at a point substituted PW3 for PW6 and the defense team led by Phillip Addison has always complained to the court presided over by Justice EK Ayebi of the Court of Appeal that the prosecution has not been furnishing them with statements of their clients on time; a development which counsel says could affect speedy trial.

At about 10:15 am yesterday Rexford Wiredu and Solomon Atadi both Principal State Attorneys prosecuting the case entered the court room with Iddrisu Mutawakil (PW6) holding their books and other documents and Mr. Wiredu headed straight to where defense lawyers Phillip Addison and Abukari Abdulai were already seated and after conferring with them both defense and prosecution entered the judge’s chamber.

At exactly 10:45the parties came out of the judge’s chamber and sat on the bench.

A female court clerk after about two minutes gave this announcement: “By court: At the request of the prosecution, this case is adjourned to October 8, 2010. This is because the intended witness has failed to turn up.”

All the 15 accused persons, except Zakaria Yakubu aka Zakaria Forest, the seventh suspect who is currently at large, were in court.

They have all pleaded not guilty to conspiracy and with Forest (A7) facing an additional charge of murder.

They are currently on remand in police custody except Iddrisu Iddi aka Mbadugu due to old age.

Those on trial are Iddrisu Iddi aka Mbadugu, Alhaji Baba Abdulai Iddrisu aka Zohe, Kwame Alhassan aka Achiri, Mohamadu Abdulai aka Samasama, Sayibu Mohammed, Alhassan Braimah and Alhaji Mohammed Habib Tijani, 45, former DCE of Yendi as second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth and eighth accused persons respectively.

The rest are Baba Ibrahim aka Baba Zey, Alhassan Mohammed aka Mohammed Cheampon, Mohammed Mustapha, Shani Imoro, Yakubu Yusif aka Leftee and Hammed Abukari Yussif and Abdul Razak Yussif aka Nyaa as 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th, 13th, 14th and 15th accused persons respectively.

Since trial started scores of police officers with riot control equipment including weapons have been patrolling the court premises to deter supporters of both Abudu and Andani gates who are always poised to physically settle their scores.