19 Akooko suspects who clashed with fetish priest freed

Nineteen suspects who were arrested in connection with the recent violent clash between residents of Akooko in the East Akyem Municipality and Nana Saaka, a fetish priest, have been granted bail by the Human Rights Court in Koforidua.

Four of the 19, in the persons of Afia Afram Korantemaa II, queen mother of Akooko, Kwesi Botwe, the Dwantoahene of Akooko, Yaw Okyere, the Abusuapanyin and the Assemblyman of the area, Yaw Bekoe were earlier granted bail on grounds of ill-health and old age.

The 15 others were granted bail a few days later based on an application filed by Mr. Samuel Atta Akyea, a lawyer and Member of Parliament (MP) for Abuakwa South.

The suspects were granted bail on the grounds that they were not actually involved in the violence, but were at the scene due to their curiosity and were arrested by the police.

Meanwhile, seven other suspects are still on remand and are to reappear together with those on bail before the Koforidua District Court “B” on November 7, 2015.

The suspects have been charged with six counts of conspiracy to commit murder, two counts of murder, causing unlawful damage, causing harm and rioting with offensive weapon.

Briefing the Court, Mr Cyril Boateng Keteku, the prosecuting State Attorney said, the Criminal Investigative Department of the Ghana Police Service was yet to conclude its investigations on the case and pleaded with the court to give it more time to conclude and present the result on the investigations.

He said the seven remaining persons should continue to be on remand since they were captured in a video committing various crimes at the scene including murdering some persons and injuring several others.

Investigations are still ongoing and more persons are expected to be arrested since most of the persons who were directly involved in the violence and captured in a video committing various crimes including murder are still on the run.