Jamaican Rastaman/Ghanaian granted bail

An Accra Regional Tribunal on Thursday granted a 20-million-cedi bail with a surety each to a Jamaican Rastaman and a Ghanaian exporter.

This followed an application by Mr Andrew Daniels, Counsel for the two accused persons, Dean Osbourne and Ernest Oteng. They are being held on two charges of causing harm and dealing in narcotic drugs.

Granting the application, the three-member tribunal chaired by Mr Justice Charles Quist, ordered them to deposit their passports with the police and report every Monday to the police until the determination of the case.

Mr Daniels told the tribunal that since his clients were men of substance with fixed places of abode, they would not jump bail.

The two accused persons were refused bail on October 22 when they were put before the Amasaman Community Tribunal.

The prosecution said on October 20 one David Addison, now on admission at the 37 Military Hospital as a result of cutlass wounds he sustained, approached Oteng for some business discussions.

A quarrel ensued between them and Oteng pulled a knife on Addison.

Osbourne who happened to be at the scene had his left thumb bitten by Addison when he attempted to separate them.

He also had the windscreen of his car, which was only 800 yards away, smashed by Addison who felt aggrieved.

Osbourne pulled a cutlass from his car and slashed Addison several times on both legs and left arm.

The matter was reported to the police who had information that the two accused persons together with two others now at large have been exporting food items overseas with narcotic drugs concealed in them.