Seven sawmill workers remanded for rioting

Agona Swedru, June 17, GNA - A Circuit Court at Agona Swedru on Friday remanded seven workers of Swedru sawmill for rioting and causing unlawful harm.

Kweku Prah, Sylvester Osei, Kojo Prah, Ernest Appiah, Broham Mohammed Tank, Suley Issah and Kojo Kakrah pleaded not guilty to charges of rioting, causing harm, causing unlawful harm to a wooden structure and trapped door and stealing personal effects and 9 million cedis cash. They would reappear on June 22 but the eight accused person, Kojo Nzema, is at large.

Deputy Superintendent of Police Raymond Martey told the court that the complainants in the case were traders, teachers, a driver and a City Guard of Agona District Assembly living at Swedru whiles accused persons were also labourers at Agona Swedru sawmills. On June 11, it was alleged that an unidentified person beat up one of the workers of the Swedru sawmill and he reported the incident to his colleagues.

About 30 sawmill workers armed themselves with cutlasses, clubs, sticks and other offensive weapons and went to town in search of the person who had assailant of their colleague. They failed to locate the assailant but they went on the rampage and assaulted people indiscriminately. Mr Martey said nine people who sustained injuries reported the incident to the police. 17 June 07