Court refuses bail to "Prez Killer"

Accra, Jan.7 GNA - An Accra Fast Track High Court on Monday refused bail to Thomas Osei, 51, the man at the centre of the accident involving the President's vehicle on the grounds that the accused would not attend court. The court said the accused was not only standing trial for motor related offences but for the use of narcotic drugs.
Thomas Osei, a businessman has been charged with five counts of motor traffic offences and one new drug related offence.
The charges include dangerous driving, negligently causing harm, driving under the influence of alcohol, failing to give way to Presidential siren and the use of narcotic drugs. The President escaped unhurt in the accident, which occurred on October 14 2007.
He has pleaded not guilty to all the charges levelled against him. The court, presided over by Mr. Justice Emmanuel Ayebi, remanded the accused into prison custody to reappear on January 17, 2008. Mr Kwame Boafo Akuffo, Counsel for Osei prayed the court to grant bail to the accused since the matter was subject to bail under the law of the land.
He asked the Police to speed up investigations on the matter since the accused had been in custody for a long time. He said the court should study the case properly and do the right thing by granting the accused bail since his continued incarceration infringed upon his fundamental human rights.
He said it was treading a dangerous terrain, as the accused was not being treated fairly.
Mr Akuffo urged the court to address the matter dispassionately devoid of biases towards his client. Ms Gertrude Aikins, Acting Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) rejected the claims of Defence Counsel and urged the court to proceed with the trial at the next adjourned date. She prayed the court to remand Osei into prison custody since investigations were not completed and that the narcotic charge against the accused was still standing.
The facts of the case as presented by prosecution were that, at about 1030 hours on November 14, Osei, who was driving a Mercedes Benz SE 500 saloon car with registration number GT 2989 W was in the inner lane along the South Liberation Link from AFGO towards the 37th Military Hospital. When he arrived at the Opeibea traffic light, he ignored the siren of the Presidential convoy and drove straight into the rear offside portion of the President's Mercedes Benz 550 saloon car.
The Prosecution said the impact forced the President's vehicle to spin around and hit a light pole on the central reserve.
The President's vehicle fell on its right side and landed on a VW Golf saloon car with registration number GW 8750 K driven by Pastor Ken Joe Osei Kufuor, who was driving from the 37th Military Hospital causing harm to him as well as the President's driver, Mr Osafo Addo. According to prosecution, Osei was drunk and further tested to substances suspected to be cocaine in his urine.