Beckley To Be Granted Bail?

The Adjabeng Community Tribunal will on Monday, June 10, rule on whether to grant bail to Ram Beckley, a medical practitioner and occultist being tried for assaulting and kidnapping a class three pupil. This follows a submission by leading defence counsel, Akwasi Bosompim for bail for his client. According to him, the prosecution has been giving different reasons in court just to keep his client in custody.

Counsel said under the criminal code, charges levelled against his client were not mandatory for which bail must be refused.

"As at now my client does not know where his wife and children are", he said, adding that Dr Beckley?s fundamental human rights were being trampled upon. Mr. Bosompim argued that public anger should not be used as a yardstick to keep the accused in custody.

He said though it was the duty of the police to protect life and property his client's properties were destroyed and nobody had been arrested in connection with the mob action.

The tribunal, chaired by Mrs. Elizabeth Ankomah, expressed outrage at the continued detention of the accused at the Police Striking Unit instead of the James Fort Prisons. But the Prosecutor, Patrick Sarpong told the tribunal that the accused was being kept there to assist police in their investigations. He said intelligence report indicated that the anger of the public had not subsided, adding, that the continued detention of the accused was in line with the police duty to protect life and property of the accused. "His life is in danger and the police cannot guarantee his safety when released."

Beckley was first arraigned on April 15 and has since been on remand. An angry mob set ablaze his residence and property running into millions of Cedis at New Gbawe in Accra.