Student threatens to kill Vice Chancellor

Accra, May 11, GNA - Some students on Friday besieged the Greater Accra Regional Tribunal premises when their colleague was arraigned for allegedly threatening to kill the Vice Chancellor, Professor Clifford N. Tagoe.

Benjamin Akyena Brentuo, chairman of the Junior Common Room, whose plea was not taken, has been charged with threat of death. He was remanded by the court, presided over by Mr. Justice Frank Manu to reappear on May 18.

Brentuo is alleged to have used words to wit Acid attacks (you and your family) Arson (your home, car office) Poisoning (your water source) electrify (your homes, cars, and offices with the intention to kill and to put Prof. Tagoe and his family into fear of death.

Prosecution Assistant Superintendent of Police George Abavelim told the court, investigations have not been completed since it is serious for the accused to use various harmful and destructive words, such as acids fire and poison, putting one's life in danger, adding, his accomplice, who is at large can interfere with investigations. He therefore prayed the court to remand the accused in custody for one more week, saying, "he can course commotion on campus since examination is still on going and should be remanded for one more week." And that, "it was his room where the computer used to type the letters was found". This, the court obliged.

However counsel for the accused Mr Solomon Korli contended that the room where the policemen retrieved the computers was not that of his client but rather he only goes there to rest. Mr. Korli said prosecution is being misled by media publications and that his client is innocent, law abiding and would not interfere with investigations.

The facts of the case are that on April 26 this year, there was a publication in the Ghanaian Times, under the headline: "Group issues death threat, Legon lectures; lives in danger."

Police commenced an investigation into the case of the threat of death tagged; "Operation BHABOTOLD" from the Militant African Youth against Neo colonialism (MAYAN) with headquarters in Accra. The threat was against the proposed in -out- out -out residential policy to be implemented by the University of Ghana authorities by next semester.

Posecution indicated that intelligence gathered revealed that occupants of F7 produced the threat message. On April 27, this year, the police armed with a search warrant proceed to Common Wealth Hall, Legon, and in the presence of some hall authorities searched room number F7 and retrieved the following items: one Compaq systems unit, an IBM monitor, one Compaq keyboard and its accessories, a pen drive, 22 compact disc and assorted documents. The hall authorities told the police that, the room was illegally occupied by accused.

The accused was not immediately available for questioning and inventory of the items retrieved were immediately taken in the presence of the hall authorities. The items retrieved were examined and the outcome that the treat document captured "Operation BHABOTOLD" published in the Ghanaian Times was found on pen drive. The document read as follows; Your silence on a sensitive issue as the proposed IN-OUT-OUT-OUT residential policy has only made you an ally to the Vice Chancellor imperialist bull shit..."

The statement explained BHABOTOLD as; "Acid attacks (you and your family) Arson (your home, car, office) Poisoning (your water sources) Police mounted a search for the arrest of Brentuo. Following the publication in Ghanaian Times on May 3, declaring the suspect as wanted, he surrounded to the police for investigations. In his case statement, accused denied the allegations of threat on his lecturers. 11 May 07