Five (5) accused persons including two (2) sub-chiefs of Akyem Abuakwa Traditional Council involved in Adeiso shooting incident in the Eastern region have been admitted to bail in the sum of 200,000 cedis with 2 sureties each by a Koforidua Circuit Court.
They were arraigned before the court on Friday, June 19, 2021, on charges of robbery, kidnapping, conspiracy to commit a crime with Kidnapping, possession of a firearm, and causing harm.
The case has been adjourned to 19th July 2021.
Two persons were shot during the attack on a sand-winning site by the Okyeman Environmental Protection task force Wednesday, June 15, 2021.
The task force stormed the Tank Akuraa community near Adeiso, 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 workers.
Armed police responded to the distress calls about the incidents but the Taskforce failed to stop when signaled by Police.
They were given a hot chase but to no avail.
Information spread through the Communities leading to the youth mounting 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 GS9835-19 which had three tyres deflated
The angry youth and sand winners massed up at the Police station seeking the release of the two chiefs for instant justice.
Due to the tension, Adeiso District Police command called on the Divisional Command for reinforcement to contain the situation.
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 (5) suspects including the two chiefs were whisked to Asamankese Divisional Headquarters by the reinforcement team where they were granted Police inquiry bail.
The Public Relations Officer of the Eastern Regional Police Command, DSP Ebenezer Tetteh confirmed the incident.
He said the case has been referred to Regional CID for further investigation and arrest of other suspects at large.
Okyeman Environmental Protection Taskforce was formed over a decade ago to fight against illegal mining, illegal sand winning, and illegal chainsawing.
Source: Mybrytfmonline.com/ Obed Ansah
