Samuel Kofi Agyei, driver of the Member of Parliament for Suhum alleged to have caused harm to an NPP grassroots communicator at Suhum last Saturday and arrested by the Suhum Police yesterday and transferred to the CID Regional Headquarters has been remanded by Koforidua District Court ‘B’ Thursday morning.
The accused was charged with causing harm with an offensive weapon contrary to section 70 of the Criminal Offences Act, 1960 ( Act 29). The accused person was arraigned before District Court B (Cocoase), Koforidua.
The lawyers of the accused person prayed the Court to grant the accused person bail pending trial. But the Chief State Attorney argued that the nature of the offense comes with severe punishment and therefore the accused is not likely to appear to stand trial.
The Magistrate asked the council on both sides to approach the bench.
Subsequently, the Magistrate adjourned the case to Tuesday, 7th September 2021, for the ruling on the bail application. The accused is to be kept in police custody till Tuesday.
The offense charged is a first-degree felony which has a maximum jail term of life imprisonment. That means the accused, should he be found guilty may be sentenced to one-day imprisonment to life imprisonment.
The offense is an indictable one which also means that the District Court will only have jurisdiction to do the committal proceedings and commit the accused to stand trial or otherwise. It is the High Court that has the jurisdiction to conduct the trial on indictment.
Background
Violence broke Saturday, August 28, 2021, between two rival groups in the NPP in Suhum during the funeral rite of the late father of one Opare, a member of the party Communicators
The clashes started when a group of NPP communicators and Serial callers who followed Frank Asiedu Bekoe alias Protozoa a staunch member of the party in the area to the funeral were prevented by the entourage of the Member of Parliament Oboafo Kwadwo Asante from leading them to greet at the funeral which led to the casting of insinuations which degenerated into chaos.
The driver of the MP was captured in a video inflicting a machete wound on the forehead of his victim.
He went into hiding since the incident.
Alan Kyeremateng statement
A 2024 Presidential hopeful of the ruling New Patriotic Party, NPP, Alan Kwadwo Kyeremateng has called on the National and Eastern Regional Executives of the party to immediately take steps to resolve the rancor and feud within the Suhum Constituency.
“I, therefore, urge the Suhum Constituency Executives, the Eastern Regional Executives as well as the National Executives of the party to take immediate steps to resolve the differences between the two feuding sides to restore peace and discipline in the party”.
Allan Kyeremateng said this in a statement issued Sunday, August 29, 2021, following clashes between followers of the Member of Parliament for Suhum Boafo Kwadwo Asante and party Communicators following Frank Asiedu Bekoe alias Protozoa, a Parliamentary candidate hopeful.
Bernard Kwasi Amoani, 51, a Lower West Akyem communication officer for the party sustained a deep cutlass injury in the head in the melee at a funeral in his attempt to bring calm while Alexander Odei suffered a minor injury on the upper lip. They were all rushed to Suhum Government Hospital.
According to Alan Kyeremateng, ” the incidence of reported violent clashes between supporters of our great party, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the Suhum constituency of the Eastern Region on Saturday, August 28, 2021, is most unfortunate and must be condemned by all well-meaning Patriots “.
He however said “rumors currently circulating on social media that the clash was between my supporters and those of our Vice President are not only completely false but mischievous and have been contrived to bring both the Vice President and my good self into public ridicule. I condemn without reservation this barbaric act of some members of our great party.
I believe strongly that any disagreement whether relating to a contest for position or differences in ideas and opinions should not be manifested in such violence in a party such as ours. The ideals of our party and tradition call for peaceful and harmonious coexistence and our motto, (Development in Freedom), has no place for Violence”
Source: Mybrytfmonline.com/Obed Ansah
