Blows in court room... Bereaved family attacks accused

The Ghanaian Times reports that hell broke loose at the Tema Community Tribunal yesterday during the trial of seven people provisionally charged with the murder of a Customs official, Mr. Lee Manu.

In a front page banner, the Times says soon after the court had granted six of the seven accused persons 10 million cedis bail each and they were returning from the dock to their seats, a relative of the deceased jumped up and kicked one of the suspects, Christopher Nii Ayittey Badu, in the full glare of the court. According to the paper, as if the action of the man. Kobina Kusi, 34, was a cue to them, 20 other relatives of Manu began causing commotion inside and outside the court.

The Times says, finally, there was a free-for-all fight between friends of the accused and the members of the bereaved family, putting several people to flight.

The police are said to have taken 20 minutes to bring the situation under control. The paper says when the court resumed sitting, the Tribunal Chairman reacted swiftly, charging Kusi with contempt of court and sentencing him to a day's imprisonment and a 200,000 cedi-fine or in default, three months hard labour in jail.