Yakubu Andani Hired Us to Kill Another Chief - Witness

A defence witness in the trial of two members of the Abudu gate for the murder of the Ya-Na, Yakubu Andani II, yesterday, told an Accra High Court hearing the case that he was recruited among over 40 other warriors by the late Ya-Na to kill the Bole Lana, head of the Abudu royal gate.

The 30-year-old Ibrahim Adam said although he was an Abudu, the late Ya-Na recruited him to be able to get enough information on the Abudus.

Yidana Sugri and Iddrisu Gyanfo are facing charges of conspiracy to commit crime and murder arising out of the Wuaku Commission, which investigated the Yendi conflict that erupted between the Abudus and the Andanis that led to the murder of the Dagbon overlord.

They have pleaded not guilty and remanded in prison custody.

Giving evidence under cross-examination by principal state attorney Mr. Anthony Gyambibi he said each recruited warrior was given ?1 million. "We were assigned to launch an attack on the Abudus," Adam told the crowded court presided over by Justice Yaw Appau.

"I knew the attack was a crime but because of money I accepted to do that", witness affirmed.

Earlier in his evidence-in-chief, Adam stated that the Bole Lana was performing a duplication of the rites after the late Ya-Na had already performed the rites and for that reason the Ya-Na ordered his elimination.

Ibrahim indicated that Lawyer Ibrahim Mahama brought 10 men in a Land Rover in addition to 32 others earlier brought in a Benz bus from Tamale, to join the members recruited in Yendi to launch the attack on the Abudus on March 27, last year.

In the process of the attack, which was advanced from the Gbewaa palace, the warriors on the orders of Gyiba, their leader, burnt some houses belonging to the Abudus, witness told the court.

Witness said that the police was not informed about the intent of the Ya-Na because they swore an oath not to divulge any information to anybody adding that they were supplied with guns from the late Ya-Na's armoury to attack the Abudus.

According to him they had a stiff counter-attack from the Abudus and had to escape. Therefore the capture of the Bole Lana did not materialize.

He told the court that during the attack Gyiba was killed and the rest of them had to run for their lives.

From his hideout in Norep, a suburb of Yendi, witness said he heard continuous gunshots.

Witness denied that the Abudus attacked the Andanis, after he had earlier on told the court that he had gone away into hiding from the vicinity when the Abudus made a counter attack.

He said he heard of the Ya-Na's death at his hideout in Norep. Sitting was adjourned to July 16, when counsel for the defense, Nana Obiri-Boahene will address the court.