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Politics of Wednesday, 21 August 2013

Source: Abdul Karim Naatogmah

Sir John consoles families of sentenced activists in Tamale

The New Patriotic Party (NPP) General Secretary, Kwadwo Owusu Afriyie affectionately called Sir John has empathized with the families of the five NPP youth activists who were on Tuesday sentenced by a five-panel jury in a Tamale High Court.

He arrived in Tamale on Wednesday and was accompanied by leadership of the NPP in the Northern Region to the homes of the convicts.

At Kanawu in Sabonjida, Mr. Afriyie assured the father of Yahuza Yakubu who was sentenced to death by hanging that the case was not over.

He visited their families in Choggu, Aboabo and Sabonjida all in the Tamale metropolis.

He said lawyers for the sentenced youth activists led by Nana Obiri Boahene will use their legal prowess through an appeal process to salvage their clients.

Mr. Afriyie reiterated the need for all NPP members to co-exist peacefully with their neighbours as the nation waits anxiously for the Supreme Court ruling on the election petition on August 29.

Sir John met with the Kandaha Boys in Aboabo who have been hard hit by the sentence and appealed to them to exercise maximum restraint.

Meanwhile, pro-NPP pressure group the Young Patriots has, in a statement, appealed to the Tamale NPP youth to remain calm and allow the rule of law to work as lawyers for the convicts have filed an appeal.

In a statement signed by the Chairman, Richard Nyamah stated, “We learnt yesterday with shock the sentences passed on our compatriots Yahuza Yakubu, Abibu Dagbana, Majeed Alhassan, Alhassan Sayibu and Imoro Gundaana by a Tamale high court.”

He continued saying, ‘We wish to share in the pain, agony and frustrations of our colleagues, their families and all party foot soldiers especially those in the Tamale central constituency and the regional executives of the NPP; let everyone be rest assured that all efforts and resources will not be spared in ensuring that Yahuza and co have their day of justice. We will not rest until the right thing is done.”

“In the meantime we call on all party foot soldiers to remain calm and not be provoked into reacting; any such thing will feed into the political machinations and shenanigans of the very political persons and party who are doing all to ensure our hard working colleagues never see the sunlight again; the timing of this sentence is not a coincidence, let us not hand them their wish.”

Richard Nyamah commended the Nana Obiri Boahene led legal team for doing everything possible to get justice for the five sentenced NPP youth activists.

“The political underhand dealings of some interested politicians may have succeeded on this occasion but not for long and it is our conviction that justice will prevail in the long run and the truth will be told the world when the time comes.”