Asoma Banda's son arrested

Accra, June 12, GNA - Haleen Banda, one of the sons of Alhaji Asoma Banda, a business tycoon, was on Tuesday whisked away by the police soon after he appeared before an Accra Circuit Court. Haleen and his brother Sidiq are charged with causing unlawful damage to property worth 9,000 dollars belonging to Cinderella Night Club in Accra.

Sidiq was additionally charged for causing unlawful harm to Reginald Bannerman, a businessman.

Sidiq, a Purchasing Clerk of Antrak Air and Haleen, Managing Director of PHC Tema, pleaded not guilty.

The court admitted them to their former bail of 300 million cedis bail with a surety each to reappear on June 26. However, police arrested Haleem for his involvement in another case.

Mr. Dominic Dagbanje, an attorney of the Attorney's Office who substituted the charge with a new one, objected to the granting of bail to Haleen saying he had threatened Mr. Kiki Banson, proprietor of Cinderella nightclub on Sunday and that Mr Banson's life was therefore in danger.

Mr. Dagbanje said due the threat Mr Banson had petitioned the Office of the Attorney General.

According to him the conduct of Haleen was in breach of the Criminal Procedure Code, and if granted bail he might take the life of Mr Banson, adding that the law was there to protect human beings and not dead persons.

Counsel for accused persons, however, argued that the accused persons were reporting to the court as required of them, saying that, the allegation was not before the court.

The court was also of the opinion that the matte r was not before it and asked the prosecution to take the necessary steps in respect of the allegation.

The court also took the evidence of Mr Reginald Bannerman, one of the complainants who was to leave the country to New Jersey, New York, where he resides.

The case as narrated by Mr Dagbanje is that the complainants - Mr Banson, and Bannerman - worked with the Night Club.

The prosecution said Sidiq and Haleen were regular customers of the nightclub and at 0330 hours on December 9, 2006, a misunderstanding ensued between Charles and one Faisal at the Club's VIP section and this escalated into fighting.

During the fight, Sidiq, Haleen and one Charles, who were friends, took part in the fight. He said they vandalized property both at the VIP section and a dance bar.

Properties, including disco lights, mirrors, glasses and bottles all valued at 9,000 dollars were destroyed.

During the fight, the prosecution said, Sidiq stood at the entrance of the nightclub and threw bottles and glasses at customers and in the process Mr Bannerman got injured on his right arm.

He was rushed to the 37th Military Hospital and later transferred to the plastic surgery unit of the Korle Bu-Teaching Hospital. The prosecution said Mr Bannerman has since been flown to the United Kingdom to undergo general surgery to address infections.