Accused in Ya Na's death implicates another person

Idana Sugri, a 35-year old farmer, who has been mentioned as one of the prime perpetrators of the assassination of Ya-Na Yakubu Andani II, Paramount Chief of Dagbon Traditional Area, on Friday told the Wuaku Commission that he saw one Alhassan Gyamfo holding "a battered human head" at the Bolen Lana's house on 27 March.

"I saw Iddrissu Gyamfo using an iron bar to pick the battered head with blood oozing from all over it and since I was afraid, I had to leave the scene". Idana, who was mentioned during previous sittings as tying the severed arm of the Ya-Na with a rope and hanged it on his neck during the crisis, was giving evidence as the 38th witness of the Wuaku Commission's sitting in Sunyani.

He has been in custody for two months since he was arrested in Tamale after the hostilities between the Abudu and Andani Gates in Yendi between 25 March and 27 March. Before the commencement of the sitting.

Idana, whose name was not included in the day's list of witnesses, was suddenly brought to the witness seat through the Commission's chamber under heavy Police guard after the second witness for the day, Abdulai Issahaku had been discharged.

He, however, vehemently denied an earlier allegation made against him by the Andanis that he was seen at midday of Wednesday 27 March, with the severed hand of the Ya-Na hanging around his neck.

"I was at home attending to my sick father and could, therefore, not have been seen as being alleged by some Andanis. All those making the allegation are doing so because of hatred", he said. When asked by the Commission whether the human head he saw could be that of the Ya-Na, witness replied that he could not recognise it because of the way it had been battered.

Idana continued that whilst at home near the Ya-Na's palace on Tuesday, 26 March he heard gunshots from both the direction of the Ya-Na's palace and the Bolen Lana's house. He said he never saw those, who were firing because he did not come out of his house.

Idana stated that on Wednesday 27 March, the firing of guns intensified and when he looked outside from his house he saw many people including Miniru, Alhassan, Sule Baba and Billa, all from the Abudu Gate.

He recounted that when hostilities ceased and life became normal, he saw many people running towards the Bolen Lana's house and being curious to know what was happening he followed the crowd. The Chairman of the Commission realising some inconsistencies in Idana's evidence and the statements he gave to the Police, intervened and reminded him of the oath he had sworn to tell the truth.

Witness responded that since he had sworn with the Quran, he could not lie before the Commission. Mr Justice Wuaku then pointed out to him through the interpreter that the Quran could not prevent him from telling lies.

After admitting that he saw Iddrissu Gyamfo holding a human head, the Commission wanted to know what he was holding at the Bolen Lana's house. Idana insisted that he was not holding anything and could not stand the sight of the scene, "that is why I left the scene".

In a reply to a question by the Commission, witness said he saw Zalan Gu-Lana an elder at the Bolen Lana's house but did not see the one Gyamfo gave the human head to. Counsel for the Commission, Mr George Owoo, pointed out to Idana that he had given three different stories since the incident happened and asked which one should be taken as the truth.

Witness replied that the Commission should consider all his statements to the Police and evidence before the Commission as one account. "I am in a trap and cannot tell lies, I stand by all statements I have made and even if I am to be executed, I will continue to tell the truth".

Before his cross examination, Nana Obiri Boahen, counsel for the Abudus pleaded with the Commission to grant bail to the witness since the Commission's work was a fact finding one.

He explained that the continuous detention of Idana was a curtailment of his liberty and called on the Commission to consider within its powers if it would be possible to release the witness. Justice Wuaku replied that counsel's request would be given the needed consideration.

In a reply to a question from counsel for the Abudus, Idana said that he did not know where the Ya-Na was killed and neither did he know one Mustapha, the photographer, who was alleged to have poured liquid on the body of the Ya-Na before it was set ablaze.

He also denied hearing drums being beaten to signify the fall of a hero and a war victim, amidst women signing and dancing. Idana said he did not go to the Gbewaa Palace and did not use any gun as was being alleged, adding that he only heard the firing of guns around the palace.

After answering a barrage of questions from leading counsel for the Andanis, Mr Charles Hayibor, the Commission ordered that witness should be taken back into custody. Idana repeated the plea of Nana Obiri Boahen through the interpreter that he should be granted bail but Justice Wuaku said that would be considered later.

Malik Alhassan Mahama, alias Freeman, an attendant at the Yendi Government Hospital then took the witness seat. He recounted that when he went to work on Monday 25 March, he saw some people standing in groups. "When I went to the Out-Patients Department, I saw some wounded people lying around some of whom were treated and discharged whilst others were admitted."

He said on Tuesday, 26 March, there was sporadic firing around the Gbewaa Palace and the Bolen Lana's house, which intensified on the morning of Wednesday, 27 March. Mahama mentioned Iddrissu Mutawakil, Imrana Shaibu and Andani Yakubu as among the injured at the hospital that he recognised.

He stated in reply to a question by counsel for the Andanis, Mr Hayibor, that the Ya-Na's Kula Lana was at the hospital from Monday till Wednesday afternoon when he disappeared.

Mr Hayibor also quizzed the witness to identify those, who saw him at his workplace during the period of the crisis since it had been alleged that he was part of an armed group that was seen in the house of the Presiding Member of the Yendi District Assembly. Mahama denied the allegation and said he was not one of the people, who were seen going out of the Ya-Na's palace during the afternoon of Wednesday, 27 March.

Mahama, who testified as the Commission's 36th witness, said on Wednesday, 27 March he saw dead bodies being brought to the hospital in a truck and were removed from the truck by the military and Red Cross personnel.

Witness told the Commission that it was absolutely not true that he was seen riding a motorcycle in town on 27 March. He said he was at the hospital throughout 27 March during, which he cleaned part of the premises and sterilised some instruments, which were used during surgical operations.

Mahama explained that he signed an attendance book, which could be a testimony of his presence at the hospital in contrast to the allegation that he was seen in town riding a motorcycle. He said he never heard the death of the Ya-Na on 27 March but when his attention was drawn to the fact that he wrote in his statement to the Police that he heard about the chief's death, he denied ever giving such a statement.

Issahaku, another witness, who identified himself as a member of the Abudu Gate and a labourer at the Yendi District Assembly, attached to the assembly's butcher's shop as a cleaner, told the Commission that on Monday, 25 March, when hostilities began between the Abudu and Andani Gates, he was shot in the leg by one of two gun-wielding unidentified young men at the precincts of the Ya-Na's palace.

He explained that, after leaving the butcher's house at about 8.30am, he saw a lot of people running helter-shelter in the streets and when he enquired about what was happening, someone informed him that his late uncle Abdulai's house had been set ablaze.

Witness said it was on his way to see the burning house that he met the two young men one of whom shot him. When asked to name the two young men by Counsel for the Abudus, Issahaku could not but described one of them as fair in complexion.

Witness told the Commission that he reported the shooting incident to the Bolen-Lana and later went to the Yendi Government Hospital for treatment. Witness indicated that he was denied treatment at the hospital because he could not afford the payment of 50,000 cedis. He said he, therefore, resorted to herbal treatment for the gunshot wound and the removal of the pellets, which he tendered in evidence.